Streaker Open Meeting at Ripon Sailing Club

by Chris Wright 24 Sep 2016 22:52 BST

Eighteen Streakers assembled at Ripon Sailing Club on 24 September, with five visitors joining 13 local boats. The forecast was for a 18 or 19mph southerly wind with gusts of 30 plus, which may have influenced the decision of some whether to travel and take part or not.

In the morning race it seemed for the most part as if the forecast was not going to be accurate, with a wind that was rarely much above the mid-teens. But it was shifty, despite southerlies being a fairly reliable direction for RSC. After a general recall the fleet was away at the second attempt when the wind stabilised.

It's fair to say that beats were subject to a certain amount of randomness. You might get a lift if you went left or you might get one on the right, but next time you tried that you were just as likely to encounter a header or a hole. Local knowledge counted for little, other than on the early runs when visitors soon discovered that a dog leg to the down wind mark was quicker than the more direct route. Sadly, for the local sailors, the visitors soon sussed it out.

Alan Gillard (Sheffield Viking SC) won the first race with Steve Blackburn (West Lancs SC) making a late charge when the pack was shuffled on the closing lap to take 3rd behind Richard Brook (Ripon SC).

After lunch, despite a forecast for the wind strength to ease, it actually increased. Again the wind direction was uncooperative on the start line and up the first beat, with shifts and holes aplenty. A gust of 30mph plus in the closing stages was probably the culprit for more than one capsize in the lower orders of the fleet.

Again it was Alan Gillard who won, ahead of Steve Blackburn in 2nd and Ian Priest (Scaling Dam SC) 3rd.

With Alan Gillard counting two first places he didn't need to sail the final race, which was just as well! Part way through the race a roll gybe turned into a roll capsize. Due to water in his ears he probably failed to hear the commiserations of the chasers, along the lines of "oh that's unfortunate, Alan" and "oh dear what a shame" as he struggled to get upright before he was blown onto the pontoons.

The race, and an eventual podium position, was very, very closely contested between Ian Priest and Peter Robinson (Ripon SC) with Ian Priest taking lead on the final tack.

Overall Results:

Pos	Sail No	Club	Helm	R1	R2	R3	Pts
1st	1951	Sheffield Viking SC	Alan Gillard	1	1	(DNF)	2
2nd	1933	Scaling Dam SC	Ian Priest	‑5	3	1	4
3rd	1881	West Lancs YC	Steve Blackburn	3	2	‑4	5
4th	1772	Ripon SC	Peter Robinson	‑4	4	2	6
5th	1656	Ripon SC	Richard Brook	2	‑10	8	10
6th	1846	Ripon SC	Mike Eggleston	‑8	7	3	10
7th	1821	Ripon SC	Tim Coleman	‑6	5	5	10
8th	1950	Ripon SC	Chris Wright	7	‑8	6	13
9th	1790	Ulley SC	Alan Ward	‑9	6	7	13
10th	1863	Ripon SC	Charlie Tebbutt	‑11	9	9	18
11th	1814	Ripon SC	Tony Dallimore	10	11	(DNC)	21
12th	1683	Rotherham SC	Peter Cogill	13	(DNF)	10	23
13th	1602	Ripon SC	Dianne Barnes	‑12	12	11	23
14th	1236	Ripon SC	Peter Smith	‑15	14	12	26
15th	1586	Ripon SC	Alastair Hall	16	15	(DNC)	31
16th	1665	Ripon SC	Alan Cage	(DNC)	13	DNC	33
17th	1406	Ripon SC	Karen Thomas	17	16	(DNC)	33
18th	1967	Ripon SC	Andy Hague	14	(DNF)	DNC	34