Comet Trio Nationals at Warsash Sailing Club

Action from the Comet Trio Nationals at Warsash Sailing Club © Eddie Mays

Action from the Comet Trio Nationals at Warsash Sailing Club © Eddie Mays

Action from the Comet Trio Nationals at Warsash Sailing Club © Eddie Mays

The Comet Trio and Comet Versa national championships were hosted by Warsash Sailing Club over the August Bank Holiday weekend (27-29 August 2005).

The races were all held off Bramble Bank. The first course was a traditional triangle-sausage. Last years championships winner Peter Scott with daughter Holly crewing was the first to the windward mark, but there followed a pile up on the mark as some boats had not catered for the slight tide. For the second lap rounding of the windward mark most crews were more circumspect. By the third lap the first five boats had created a gap and were able to keep it to the end of the race. They ended with the Scotts in first place, closely followed by two sets of previous champions, Andrew and Caroline McAusland in Woozle, then Symon Garratt and Graham Sykes in Abagail Rose.

The second race was a “P” course. Another good start in the sunny weather was made slightly more taxing by more chop on the starboard tacks. Difficult decisions had to be made as the second reach of the P was very tight and on that leg the asymmetric spinnaker was not always a help. On the second lap the following boats could see Woozle with her spinnaker up moving back with respect to the other front runners, but for the downwind leg she already had her spinnaker flying – whether the overall effect was to her disadvantage is disputable. The race finished with the Scotts winning again, with Five Alive coming second now raced by Chris Holliman and Jerry Collingwood doing much better than in previous years. Third was Woozle and forth was Bob and Ann Priesley, newcomers to the class, having had their Trio Contagious for merely three weeks.

On Sunday the start was delayed for an hour due to lack of wind, but then Peter Knight, the race officer, treated us to three different courses: triangle-sausage, windward-leeward and P in 10-12 knot winds. Two races were won by the Scotts in Gilbert and the McAuslands won the third. More sailors from Exe sailing club took it in turns to take top places: Guy Farrant with Marilynn Brooker and Bob Horlock with Andrew Prytherch both taking second places. After the racing and excellent food in the club house the crews assembled for music – with songbooks provided by Tigger’s crew, guitar from Pooh’s crew and bagpipes from the crew of Riot.

By Monday the championship was sown up for the Scotts, but the following places were to fight for. Both races were held over a triangle sausage course. The wind had risen to 12-14 knots.

The first race was the most competitive of the championships. Symon Garratt managed to get away to a clear lead in front, but at the gybe mark after there were a dozen boats vying for the same space. The positions changed frequently, but Five Alive with the strength of the Brighton University sailors had perfected the art, with a lot of leaning out, of goose-winging their clapped out spinnaker and surfing the swell, this managed to give them second place from Gilbert and Bob Horlock in Exe T’Sea. Five Alive knew they had to win the last race to have a chance of second place overall, they did it and beat Woozle overall by one point. There had been close sailing throughout the fleet.

An extremely enjoyable championships, extremely well hosted by Warsash SC and we are all looking forward to next year in Plymouth.

Overall Results: