Dragon Eastern Champs at Royal Norfolk & Suffolk Yacht Club

The Royal Norfolk & Suffolk Yacht Club at Lowestoft played host to the International Dragons over the Bank Holiday of the 24-26 May for the East Coast Championships,one of the area championships organised by the British Dragon Association.

This year the British and Irish Associations have joined forces to promote the Class culminating in a raffle in January 2004 for a brand new fully equipped Dragon and this event qualifies those participants for a chance in that raffle.

17 Dragons took part, some were no strangers to success here, Rory Bowman and Chris Dicker have won 3 times here, and Martin Payne has snatched the trophy 4 times.

Race 1 was sailed in 15 knots of southerly breeze and a very enthusiastic fleet took off on the first beat before the Committee after two and a half minutes thought a general recall might be in order. In the restart at least 5 boats were over, some came back,(yes they did Mr Race Officer),but although Excalibur was at the front all the way it was Eclipse(GBR 670) sailed by Danny Sinclair, Donald Milne and Clive Hearn who had made the long journey from the North who took the gun, followed by Team C3(BEL 66)sailed by Belgian helm Edouard Wylleman,second and Yeah Baby(GBR 662)sailed by Rory Bowman, Duncan Grindley and Chris Pank,third.

Race 2 saw the same conditions but whilst it paid to go right in the first race, left was very much the way to go this time into the stronger tide, and Excalibur(GBR 576),helmed by Martin Payne with Paul Patenall and Rudy Jug fired up by their earlier OCS took line honours, with Quicksilver (GBR 572),helmed by Rob Campbell, second and Team C3 third.

The wind went west on the second day and dropped to 5-10 knots. Patrick Gifford in his new Borresen,Kracken(GBR 681) led from start to finish, Ricky Gillingham in Navaho(GBR 664)with Shelly Edelston and Balloo, was second to the windward mark, but Excalibur overtook them on the second beat to finish second with Yeah Baby third.

In the second race of the day Excalibur won the pin and went left with Scorpio(GBR 566)the local boat sailed by Chris Dicker and his son Mark and Yeah Baby. The rest of the fleet went right, and Rory Bowman was first at the windward mark closely followed by Chris Dicker, Len Jones in Rumours(GBR 677) and Excalibur. The long run against the tide wreaked several changes, and when Tony Allen standing in as helm on Quicksilver went left with Len Jones they finished first and second respectively. Rory Bowman tried a repeat of the tacking duel with Excalibur that saw him secure first place at the Northern Area Championships in the previous year, but lost this time to allow Excalibur take third and Yeah Baby fourth.

Day 3 and race 5,without which there would be no discard. Under the Bonus Point Scoring system just 0.3 of a point separated Yeah Baby and Excalibur. There was no wind until 11.30 and no race would be started after midday. The wind came in from the south east and against a strong ebb tide James Meyhew in Commanche(GBR 649)another local boat went hard left to gain handsomely on one of Lowestoft's notorious banks. Martin Payne sailed a conservative race to keep in close contact with Rory Bowman. Such was the close competitive competition any one of the 3 boats,Yeah Baby, Quicksilver or Excalibur could have taken the title on the last beat. In the end though Comanche won the race with Yeah Baby second and Excalibur third.

This gave Martin Payne, Paul Patenall and Rudy Jurg in Excalibur(Royal Torbay Yacht Club) first overall with 14.4 points, Rory Bowman, Duncan Grindley and Chris Pank in Yeah Baby(Aldeburgh Yacht Club) second with 22.4 points and Rob Campbell in Quicksilver(Royal Corinthian Yacht Club) third with 24.7 points.

A great competition and great fun on the social side and for those of you who have sailed at Lowestoft you will understand us giving thanks to Russell. The remainder of the top ten results are below.