Fusion Fest 2017 at Parkstone Yacht Club

by Glen Truswell 2 Sep 2017 21:44 BST 5-6 August 2017

Fusion Fest - 2017 was hosted by Parkstone Yacht Club on the 5th/6th August in Poole harbour, the second largest, and arguably most beautiful, natural harbour in the world.

To suggest at the product launch in September 2016 that Fusion had the potential to facilitate greater uptake in our sport or boost club participation would have been bold, but in part at least, Fusion Fest 2017 appeared to prove this claim is not such a distant reality!

In total 44 participants took part in Fusion Fest 2017, approximately one third of them falling in to each of the following categories:

• Have never previously owned a dinghy, been a member of a sailing club or taken part in an organised sailing event!
• Have (via. Fusion) returned to sailing & club participation after more than a decade of absence. (Several decades in most cases!)
• Already access the sport and race regularly via several clubs and classes. Ladies, gentlemen, juniors, youths and mature competitors (several in their 70's) were also represented in virtually equal numbers too. Put simply, facts like these are as rare as they are enviable by any club or class in the modern era of our sport!

This not only makes great reading for the sport though, in reality it also provided the basis of a well-balanced, friendly and inclusive "family" atmosphere enjoyed by all throughout the weekend.

The event format consisting of 3 relatively short/fun races, sponsored refreshments in accompaniment to tips and advice from multiple class champions followed by a barbecue, acoustic musicians and dancing soon put Saturday behind the budding Fusion pioneers!

Sunday dawned with another 3 short/fun races by which time "Pro" mainsails had firmly been identified as the "prime option" albeit with some boats choosing to reef in the brisker periods of the day.

Single and double handed boats raced "head to head" throughout the fleet all weekend proving (contrary to suspicion) that the relatively small jib does bring "enough to the party" to pay for any additional crew weight associated!

By Sunday afternoon though, the excitement was over, the "pecking order" established and the following people were unveiled and hailed as Fusion Fest - 2017 Champions:

• 1st Single Handed - Stuart Bowen (1st Overall)
• 1st Double Handed - Adam & Emily Brushett (2nd Overall)
• 1st Lady Helm - Veronica Truswell (6th Overall)
• 1st Junior Team – James & Jack Rodriguez (21st Overall)

Thanks to Parkstone Yacht Club and our title event sponsors Hyde Sails & Selden Mast for I am pleased to report not a single person went home without a memento of the great weekend we shared on the water!

There is now a 15 boat fleet of Fusions at Parkstone Yacht Club which is growing rapidly!