Medway Dinghy Regatta 2009 at Wilsonian Sailing Club
by Roy Winnett 13 Jul 2009 20:25 BST
11-12 July 2009
The Laser 2000s start during the Medway Dinghy Regatta © Roy Winnett
The Medway Dinghy Regatta, hosted and organised by Wilsonian Sailing Club on behalf of the Medway Yachting Association was held over the weekend 11th & 12th July. Despite clashing with the rearranged John Merricks Tiger Trophy at Rutland and other open events, there was an outstanding entry of 89 boats, with 39 visitors from as far away as the Lake District. 20 sailing clubs were represented, including a large contingent from Broxbourne; the Ahoy Sailing Centre with their fleet of Laser Stratos while Medway Yacht Club provided most of the Wayfarers.
Locally based MTS Cleaning Services sponsored the event and Hyde Sails provided some goodies. Open meetings were incorporated for the 3000 and Vortex classes. Four races were scheduled, two each day, with three to count and a Barbeque /Disco on Saturday evening. There were starts for fast, medium and slow handicap, 3000, Vortex, Laser 2000, Laser Stratos and Wayfarer.
The competitors were greeted with a moderate southwesterly on Saturday morning that strengthened during the day, giving challenging but excellent downwind planning legs. Our good fortune continued as the predicted overnight rain had cleared by breakfast time on Sunday to give clear skies, sparkling waters and a force 3 – 4 westerly.
Neil Ashby/Nick Lett (RS 800) dominated the fast handicap scoring three aces; their only hiccup was an eighth in the second race. Simon Allen triumphed in the Canoe International contest with Mark Goodchild, missed the first race, won race 2 and a couple of seconds captured runners-up spot. Youngsters Aaron Smith/Alec Rodgers (29er) upstaged Goodchild claiming three third places on corrected time to secure the same on aggregate; so Goodchild had to settle for fourth prize with a 4th, 2nd and 5th to count. The conditions did not suit last year’s winner Martin Jones (Contender) who had to be content with fifth.
The Tiger Trophy was probably responsible for keeping entries to just one visitor, Jonathan Carter, for the Vortex Open, but four wins out of four, rewarded Carter the Vortex Trophy with Mike Gower second.
Tony Hunt/David Bourne retained their 3000 crown with a hat-trick of wins but were pushed all the way by Joe Pester /Paul Murphy, who won race 3 and seconds in the others. David Fenech/Alison Williams claimed third prize with three thirds to count
Similarly Colin/Lauren Treadwell retained the Laser 2000 title, though they lost out to John Hewat/Geoff Lambert in the opening race by one second on the line, they had comfortable wins in the other races. A first and two seconds to count assured Hewat/Lambert of second prize with Jayne Lambert/Paul Thorpe third overall.
Visitors headed the Kestrel fleet; Steven/Lin Worf with a trio of victories and Ian Rintoul/Richard Anthony’s three seconds to count. Jeremy/Jane Drummond restored home pride with a 2nd, 3rd and 4th.
There was 5 boats contesting for medium handicap honours, last year’s finalist Neil Lamprell (Phantom), the RS 200s of Simon Gillow/Fiona Brett and Lucy Heather/Tom Lambert, the Laser Radials of Stephanie Wicken and Jonathan Hewat. It was all to play for going into the last race. However a win for Gillow/Brett confirmed overall victory, Heather/Lambert could discard a disappointing 6th and still take second, while a 2nd for Wicken and 3rd for Lamprell left them equal on points but broken in Wicken’s favour.
All the Miracles were home grown and Colin/Maureen Lown picked up a couple of seconds on Saturday and two wins on Sunday for overall victory. David/Jackie Hudson and Ben/Tom Brooks/Rebecca Seager were tied on 6 points but ended in the formers favour as they had a 1st to count.
Both without crews, Richard Stone teamed-up with Phil Stacey and this proved a good pairing as they went undefeated to lift the Wayfarer Matkin Trophy. Brian Lamb/Bobbie Burnell/Matthew Wynn held off the challenge from Roger Gibbs/Matthew Claridge to secure second and third prizes respectively
Osman Yusuf/Michael Forrest also went undefeated in the Laser Stratos fleet with Quentin Bees-Green/Elliott Bates runners-up with two seconds and a third.
The slow handicap was depleted to just four entries and only three signed on for the first race, which David/Sandra Wilson (Graduate) won with ease. Ian/Hannah Foxwell joined in with their Contender in race 2 and beat the Wilsons by a comfortable margin. The Foxwells were premature starters in race 3, so the Wilsons just had to finish to gain overall victory. Michael Atkinson/Blake Newman won the RS Feva contest with Andrew Carroll/Patrick Wayland for second prize.
Overall Results:
Fast handicap
1st RS 800 978, Neil Ashby/Nick Lett (Bewl Valley SC) 3pts
2nd Canoe Int. 278, Simon Allen (Hayling Island SC) 5pts
3rd 29er 342, Aaron Smith/Alec Rodgers (Wilsonian SC) 9pts
4th Int.Canoe 265, Mark Goodchild (Wilsonian SC) 11pts
5th Contender 2347 Martin Jones (Wilsonian SC) 17pts
Medium handicap
1st RS 200 1264, Simon Gillow/Fiona Brett (Chipstead SC) 4pts
2nd RS 200 872, Lucy Heather/Tom Lambert (Wilsonian SC) 7pts
3rd Laser Radial 192800, Stephanie Wicken (Wilsonian SC) 8pts
Slow handicap
1st Graduate 2975, David/Sandra Wilson (Broadwater SC) 4pts
2nd RS Feva 2013, Michael Atkinson/Blake Newman (Wilsonian SC) 5pts
Vortex
1st 1153, Jonathan Carter (Richmansworth SC) 3pts
2nd 1013, Mike Gower (Wilsonian SC)
3000
1st 3603, Tony Hunt/Suzanne Hall (Wilsonian SC) 3pts
2nd 1, Joe Pester/Paul Murphy (Ullswater SC) 5pts
3rd 3605, David Fenech/Alison Williams (Wilsonian SC) 9pts
Laser 2000
1st 22115, Colin/Lauren Treadwell (Wilsonian SC) 3pts
2nd 21792, John Hewat/Geoff Lambert (Wilsonian SC) 5pts
3rd 21314, Jayne Lambert/Paul Thorpe (Wilsonian SC) 11pts
Kestrel
1st 1511, Steven/Lin Worf (Calshot SC) 3pts
2nd 1553, Ian Rintoul/Richard Anthony (Broxbourne SC) 6pts
3rd 1510, Jeremy/Jane Drummond (Wilsonian SC) 9pts
Wayfarer
1st 10609, Richard Stone/Phil Stacey (Medway YC) 3pts
2nd 10614, Brian Lamb/Bobbie Burnell/Matthew Wynn (Wilsonian SC) 6pts
3rd 1759, Roger Gibbs/Matthew Claridge (Medway YC) 8pts
Laser Stratos
1st 914, Osman Yusuf/Michael Forrest (Ahoy Sailing Centre) 3pts
2nd 829, Quentin Bees-Green/Elliott Bates (Ahoy Sailing Centre) 7pts
Miracle
1st 206, Colin/Maureen Lown (Wilsonian SC) 4pts
2nd 3795, David/Jackie Hudson (Wilsonian SC) 12pts
3rd 3636 Ben/Tom Brooks/Rebecca Seager (Wilsonian SC) 9pts