Summer Regatta at Staunton Harold Sailing Club
by SHSC 26 Jul 2010 10:18 BST
3-4 July 2010
On the weekend of the 3rd/4th July the sailors young and old(er) experienced fantastic weather - hours of sunshine and no rain, and winds varying between force 2 and 6 with a fleet of 70 competitors on Saturday, and with 30 prepared to challenge the stronger winds on Sunday. 3 well contested events took place over the weekend – the Junior Championships and the Regatta Cup on Saturday, and the Club Championships on Sunday.
Junior/Youth Championships
35 younger sailors attentively listened to their briefing - for many the first true race ever. Some great starts guys!! Ben Pole led the way to the “W” mark in his laser radial challenged by the RS200 teams of Corey Newton helming for Pete Gray and Rose Smith for big brother Joe. Both crews gave firm guidance! Pete successfully retrieving Corey when he flew out over the transom.
The 6 green group oppies were ably coached around by Holly Jones and Tom (Buzz) Burrows and all managed the lap cheering as they crossed the finish line. It was fantastic sitting on the committee boat as groups of topper & optimist sailors sailed through laughing and chatting away jostling competitively with the friends.
Quick turn around for the second race. By then money had been spent on the committee boat upgrade with streamers, parasol, balloons and weather vanes. Competitive drive became even more evident with some great starting techniques, ducks and dives and craft appearing from all directions. A simple figure of 8 course to completed their championships. The toppers has topped the scoreboard overall but with trophies to win in all ability groups there was lots to aim for.
Junior /Youth Championships Results
1st Holly McKechnie
2nd Nick Robinson
3rd Colleen Winter
First Green group: Chloe Felton
First Yellow group: Fergus Winter
First Orange Group; Max Greenhalgh
First Red Group: Holly McKechnie
First Purple group; Jack & Dan Morris
First Youth: Ben Pole
Regatta Cup
The Regatta event, new to SHSC in 2009 is designed to be fun but competitive, open to all ages and abilities: 2 handicap races. A sensible start line was rapidly lengthened as 38 boats launched towards the committee boat. With 8 RS200’s they proved the biggest fleet, closely followed by 6 comets and 6 fireballs. Yes Andy Kennington got his screaming reach in his Phantom! “Madog” Curzon and Pete Elver led the way with a storming sail in their Fireball.
In race 2 Grahame Newton and Mark Stevens avoided the hole in the wind this time and successfully challenged Madog and Pete and took 1st . Again the RS200’s provided hot competition with Lol Hayward and Matt Simons holding 5th. It was of particular note that youngsters Colleen Winter, and Joe and Rose Smith had by now sailed all 5 races on the day!
Regatta results
1st “Madog” Curzon/Pete Elver, Fireball
2nd Andy Kennington-Phantom
3rd Grahame Newton/Mark Stevens, Fireball
1st Lady/1st Junior/1st Topper - Colleen Winter
1st Youth- Joe Smith
1st over 60/1st junior crew/oldest boat - Alan Bennett& Keeley Kenmuir-Hogg, Mirror
Perseverance trophy - Steve Cussens, Laser
Club Championships
Why did it have to be so windy? Windguru had warned us all over the low moving down the country with predictions of 70mph gusts. Hence a mere 15 gusting 30 proved an easy challenge for the competitors in 3 handicap races.
In the first race Tom Foskett and Simon Forbes in their Fireball led the way, chased and eventually passed by Grahame Newton and Mark Stevens, also in a Fireball, after a couple of precarious capsizes. Incredible spectator sport, crowds gathered at the gybe marks cameras in hand.
In the Lasers, 4.7 sails proved their worth with Paul Williamson snatching 2nd, just behind Grahame and Mark, with Tom and Simon third. By then we had a holed 405, snapped main halyard, several masts in the mud and lots of bruises. The superb safety team were kept extremely busy. Never to be deterred by a little wind optimist sailors Holly McKechnie, Cora Kenmuir Hogg and Olivia Kennington racing the whole day.
In race 2 Grahame and Mark beat us all, challenged strongly by Pete Gray and Richard Pepperdine in a Scorpion. Those jibe marks again took their prisoners, often a few at a time. You could just feel the wishful thinking that you would survive to the next leg.
The final race was definitely the windiest race of the day. Many had never sailed so fast or scarily! Crews were launched into sails from above; some with enough momentum to bend the boom, others sensibly risking the body shaped hole in the mainsail. Helms flew out over transoms and safety teams carefully watched as most boats lay down for a while. Fireballs held 1st again with Simon Kelsall and Tom Williamson followed by Tom and Simon and Ian Kelly and Tom “Buzz” burrows. Again Laser 4.7’s proved strong with Eleanor Sleep coming in 5th.
Club Championships Results
1st Grahame Newton/Mark Stevens, Fireball
2nd Tom Foskett/Simon Forbes, Fireball
3rd Ian Kelly/ Tom “Buzz” Burrows, Fireball
1st Slow Handicap/1st Laser Paul Williamson/ 5th overall, Laser 4.7
1st Under 21/7th overall James Foskett, Laser Radial
1st Lady helm/9th overall Eleanor Sleep, Laser 4.7
1st Lady Crew Hannah Sandstrom, RS200
1st over 60 Terry Gooch, Topper
1st Junior/1st optimist/ 19th overall Holly McKechnie