Gerber Vortex Nationals at Grafham Water Sailing Club

Prizewinners at the GERBER Laser Vortex Nationals at Grafham © Cherylyn

Despite a dire wind forecast, a fleet of 21 Boats arrived at Grafham Water for the 5th GERBER Vortex National Championship. They were rewarded with more wind than forecast as a shifty southwesterly force 2 gusting 3 ruffled the water. It was again good to see people from all corners of the UK.

Race 1 saw a heavy port end bias as Keith Escritt ducked one boat to port tack the fleet to lead at the windward mark Phil Whitehead and Jonathan Lister followed. Phil gained the lead on the second beat and these positions were maintained until the final leg when Clive Harries and Chris Tilbrook passed Jonathan.

Race 2 again had a port bias, but Whitehead was first to spot a shift just after the start and lead at the windward mark followed by Escritt and Lister. Harries had capsized on the start line and been close to last at the windward mark - he then played his "get out of jail free" (OR was it “rules are for girlymen”?) card and took places on every leg to catch up with the leading bunch. Keith went on to win from Phil, with Clive and Neil Spink passing ‘Luckless Lister’- again on the last leg.

Race 3 had a good square line. Harries powered into an early lead but then ran out of wind in the middle of the course. Richard Vie followed by Jim Machonochie came in from the left side of the course to lead at the windward mark. Lister who had gone hard right was third. On the run Richard and Jonathan went left whilst Roger Pratt and Jim Maconochie went right but Keith Escritt sneaked down the middle and into the lead. On the next beat Jonathan passed Richard, but these positions were reversed again on the last lap and Neil Spink pulled through the field to take 4th. Ominously, Phil and Clive had to settle for 8th and 10th respectively.

Saturday evening saw some testing the demo assymetric and others trying their hand at RC Laser racing - and we let these people out in real boats! After another of the legendary Gerber sponsored evenings with followed by some Indian Cuisine, everyone woke on Sunday morning to little or no wind. This had died to a Zephyr by the start of the fourth race. Clive Harries drifted more convincingly than anyone into an early lead up the first beat. A header and a breath more wind left him odds on to be first round the windward mark but the wily Keith Escritt sneaked a couple of crafty tacks, found a puff and took that honour. A near stationary fleet waited for wind on the first reach. This found Keith first and took him to a race winning one leg lead. Clive was left to fight off the close attentions of Richard Vie and Neil Spink until the former hooked a mark and the latter chose to mix it with the forty strong Phantom fleet. It finished Keith first, Clive second, Roger Pratt third and Neil fourth. The fleet voted with its trollies and went ashore ending the day’s racing as the tireless and excellent PRO Mike beloe saw sense and abandoned the last two races

So congratulations again to fourth time National Champion Keith Escritt. Perhaps the addition of the almost 100% developed asymmetric will challenge his supremacy? Second and moving in the right direction was Clive Harries while Phil Whitehead took the third of the podium places and will have to wait another year for his inevitable win.

The overall assessment? Despite less than perfect conditions another enjoyable weekend with this friendliest of fleets helped massively by the sponsorship of GERBER Legendary Blades. Role on the next Open Meeting at Draycote and some decent wind!

Overall Results: