Catamaran Open at Bala Catamaran Club

Bala Catamaran Club provided 26 catamarans from across the UK with the best and the worst of lake sailing at its open event on May Day bank holiday.

The first race was sailed in horrendous conditions with strong breezes going at 90 degrees to the lake, resulting in gusts rolling down from the hills from 5 knots to 20 knots in a split second. Despite numerous capsizes, most of the fleet managed to finish race 1. Jon Worthington/Oli Egan (F18)(Minnis Bay) led the fleet over the water and on handicap starting what was to be a perfect score for the regatta. The Shadows of Phil Neal (Rutland SC) and Olly Harris (Weston SC) gained second and third places.

The second race saw even more challenging conditions and many sailors decided that this was going to be one of their discards. This left the way clear for Mat Pollock/Pete Clements (Dart 18) (Dee SC) to show that they can still sail very quickly when it is seriously windy. Shadows of Phil Neal and Dave Lowe (Rutland SC) acquitted themselves well in second and third, with the F18 of Mark Sutcliffe and Steve Rockley from Netley SC finishing 4th.

After a short delay, race conditions improved, still not good but manageable, and more of the fleet decided to sail race 3. The lightening upwind speed of the A Class was demonstrated by Chris Field from Minnis Bay SC, but still couldn't hold Jon Worthingon on the long downwind spinnaker legs from taking first place, with the reliable Phil Neal in third, and Peter Findlay/Jess Findlay (F18) (Bala Cat Club) starting to put a series together with a steady fourth place.

Sunday dawned a little better but the first race of the day was extremely flukey. Worthington/Egan gained 1st place with Findlay/Findlay 2nd, Chris Field 3rd and Peter Jones and Fraser McMillan from Tresaith SC grabbing 4th.

Then the lake showed off its sailing conditions to perfection, the wind swinging round the south west and giving perfect sailing conditions for the last two races of Sunday at close to 20 knots of constant breeze. Boat speed was at a premium and the F18s and A Class fought many close gybing duals at maximum speeds. Olly Harris found better boat speed in these winds gained a 5th and 4th and Dave Walker and Kate Green (F18), (Bala Cat Club) finding the stable winds more their liking with a 3rd in the last race of the day.

Sadly Monday dawned completely still and after a two hour hold, the Race Officer called off racing for the day.

Overall Results: (six races, one discard)

1st Jon Worthington/Oli Egan, F18, 5pts
2nd Peter Findlay/Jess Findlay, F18, 14pts
3rd Phil Neal, Shadow, 20pts
4th Chris Field, A Class, 24pts

Thanks to event sponsors Towergate Mardon Insurance.