International Canoe Open at Weston Sailing Club
by Colin Brown 23 May 2008 09:10 BST
17-18 May 2008
The race officer’s forecast at the briefing that the NE winds are the most variable direction proved to be absolutely correct and made for both challenging and entertaining racing for the 20 International Canoes who assembled at Weston SC on 17/18 May.
This was the first IC event following the adoption of a box rule for the hull design, after a 35 year period of a one design shape. 3 new boats built to the new rule, each varying significantly in design concept, demonstrated the speed gain from a 50kg all-up weight and a minimum hull width of 750mm. After 3 races on Saturday sailed in light winds, the new rule boats of Alastair Warren, Andy Pattison and Phil Robin were on equal points, having taken the first 3 places in each race.
The Asymmetric canoes fitted with their 22 metre spinnakers enjoyed equally close racing. John Nixon was worthy of a special mention, having refurbished is carbon canoe and showed that a new paint job in turqoise is a very fast colour by making a top 3 finish on the Saturday. A new face at the front is always welcome, however it was business as usual for Robin Wood winning all three races.
Sunday provided sunshine and a good deal more wind, but again variable in direction and strength. Additional excitement was provided by the course overlapping a powerboat race circuit. The strategy for the downwind leg was a balance between the fastest course to the next mark and reducing the risk of collision with a powerboat travelling at 50mph!
Although showing excellent speed at times, the new rule boats provided a greater challenge to sail and Simon Allen won 2 races, with Mark Goodchild in another one-design boat taking second place in each of the 3 races, demonstrating the one-design boats remain competitive, at least in more testing conditions. Most of the AC sailors sampled the water with difficult spinny drops at the leeward mark which was cunningly positioned on the edge of the shipping channel in confussed water.
Overall, Alastair Warren showed greater mastery of his new lightweight boat and thereby winning the meeting overall for the standard IC and Robin Wood winning the AC's with a clean sweep of bullets.
A great weekend of racing provided by Weston Saing Club.
Overall Results:
International Canoes:
1. Alastair Warren (Grafham Water SC)
2. Simon Allen (Hayling Island SC)
3. Phil Robin (Hayling Island SC)
4. Andy Pattison (Gurnard SC)
5. Mark Goodchild (Wilsonian SC)
Asymmetric Canoes:
1. Robin Wood (Llandegfedd)
2. Gareth Cadwell (Carsington)
3. Colin Brown (Ullswater)
4. Steve Bowen (Aberavon)
5. Rob Michael (Weston)