Kippford Week and Kippford RNLI Regatta 2016
by Ian Purkis 8 Aug 2016 10:54 BST
1-6 August 2016
Crowded start line action during start of one of the Handicap 2 class races during Kippford Week © A-M Williams
Almost as soon as the serious racing, fun and games of the Solway Yacht Club's 2016 Cadet Week had ended, followed by the Cadet Fleet's 60th Anniversary Boat Pageant than it was straight into Kippford Sailing Week 2016.
With many experienced, competitive sailors arriving from all round the UK with one even arriving from the Caribbean to join the home fleet, competition got underway. This year, following previous feedback, the format was changed with two shorter races each day for the inshore handicap (HCP) fleets, while the larger offshore cruising yachts were starting and finishing most of their races from the 'Starting Hut', sailing out into the Solway on one long race each day, maximising their race length and coincidentally giving spectators ashore a much better view. Another first for Kippford were two "Challenger" Trimarans entries, boats designed specifically for disabled sailors.
Both days one and two were blessed with favourable weather conditions and with excellent courses set in the Solway and around the Urr estuary by the very capable hands of Principal Race Officer, Lindsay Tosh and his team.
Day three, Wednesday dawned with gale warnings combined with heavy rain. Despite this, most competitors turned out on time, re-rigging boats with storm sails and preparing for a battering. With rising winds and increasingly anxious support teams, the PRO reluctantly but wisely cancelled all dinghy racing, leaving only a handful of the larger cruisers taking on the elements. Despite this, several of the experienced dinghy racers launched for some serious 'heavy weather' sail training. With only 4 cruisers finishing it was David Henderson in 'Tara' who took line honours. The evening barbecue became an indoor event but was followed by an amazing presentation by John 'Jock' Wishart, once the SYC Cadet Captain but now a long experienced expedition leader who gave a fantastic stimulating talk on his voyage, rowing with his crew of 5 others to the Magnetic North Pole, only possible now because of global warming and the retreating Arctic sea ice.
Day four, Thursday and back to more good weather and fine sailing. By Friday it was even better and with glorious sunshine, blue skies, sparkling sea and a fresh breeze. This was champagne sailing out in the Solway. Sails full and straining at the rigging, boats surging through the waves, spray flying, cooling the hard working crews, and great competition.
As the week ended, it was particularly good to see both the Challenger trimarans qualify overall in the results. Steve Laycock and Stephen Bate and their shore helpers were great additions to the regulars and other newcomers to Kippford Week.
Overall winners were David Henderson and his crew from Solway YC aboard 'Tara' in the Cruiser class, Scott Train and Ann Stuart in the Flying Fifteens also Solway YC, Neil Towart and Claire Sharpe from Holy Loch HCP 1 (fast) class, Ian and Nicola Holden from Scaling Dam SC HCP 2, and SYC's Emily Biggar in HCP3. Prizes were presented by Jock Wishart to worthy winners before a great party followed with supper and dancing into the late evening.
Kippford Regatta Race
Saturday and it was Kippford RNLI Regatta Day, with funds raised going to the local lifeboat. One long race was planned offshore for all classes but the "champagne sailing" had given way to threatening overcast skies and gear breaking winds, so apart from the cruisers, races were held in the comparative shelter of the bay. Despite this, James Kelly managed to break the mast of his sister's Laser before even reaching the start having already wrecked the spinnaker of his uncle's Spitfire catamaran earlier in the week. Nice work James! Nevertheless, most of the rest at least managed to reach the start but with other breakages and many retirements, it was a credit just to finish.
Results were significantly different from Kippford Week with only David Henderson repeating his previous win. The Flying Fifteens were won by Solway's Colin Filer and his crew Jamie Gasgoigne, HCP1 by Peter Nelson from Norwich and his "wonder-crew" Nicola Holden, who'd just jumped ship from her Dad Ian's previous HCP2 winning GP14 and now saw Dad demoted into second with his stand-in crew as the SYC's Rhys Williams powered by over the line in his Laser, well ahead. HCP3 winner was SYC's young Sally Mackay with her Dad Hamish's as crew in their Mirror dinghy. Prizes were presented by Gareth Jones, the local RNLI Operations Manager but with many gear failures it was no surprise to see another young cadet, Dominic Colbeck still clutching his broken Mirror centreboard when collecting his well-earned fifth place in the HCP3s!