ISO Nationals at BMW Torbay Week

Action from Ocean BMW Torbay Week © Heather Davies / www.fotoboat.com

Action from Ocean BMW Torbay Week © Heather Davies / www.fotoboat.com

Sponsored by Cousin Trestec & RWO

This year the ISO National Championships were held as part of BMW Torbay Week. The sailing was run by Paignton Sailing Club. 16 ISOs shared the race area with the Tasers and Buzzes.

There were three races scheduled for Saturday and a reasonable forecast predicting the conditions to deteriorate as the day went on. Luckily the 33mph winds expected late on never arrived.

After the briefing by race officer Ken Falcon we all headed out towards Brixham for race one. Lloyd Walker and Katie Keam-George in 1185 Superspars lead round the windward mark narrowly ahead of the ISO national’s debutants Neil Ashby and Sam Proctor in 1195. At the end of the first down wind Superspars headed for the yellow buoy mentioned at the briefing while the others in the chasing pack went for the red buoy by the committee boat. There was a moment of doubt in Superspars but when the others dropped their kites and started to fetch for the yellow mark you could almost hear the relief. Unfortunately for 1185 this was short lived as they were now on a collision course with Pete and Annie Lindley in RWO 1013. RWO were on starboard and Superspars left it too late to see if they could cross; a crash tack! A capsize! A torn batten pocket and a 720’ turn left them in last place. For a while Lyndon Gomersall and Gareth Sellors lead but Jonny Wells and Graham Sexton sailing Neil Pryde 1184 went on to win with 1195 second and Bob Ladell and Luke Draper in Cousin Trestec 814 third.

Neil Pryde went on to take the second race with Cousin Trestec second.

Race three and a shock result! Chairman Bob took the honours and a lot of people remembered pledges about taking up gardening!

Sunday morning dawned Sunny and warm but soon clouded over to the familiar grey skies and chilly offshore wind as the boats headed out to the race area.

In Races four and six RWO took two bullets with 1195 spoiling their fun taking race five.

In the evening there was a barbeque and music in the marquee but in the end the cool evening drove most back into the club house for a drink and discussions about the next days racing. It was all to play for as 1195 was winning by two points from Chairman Bob and the next two were tied for third only one point ahead of Superspars. In theory, at least, five teams could still win overall.

The forecast for day three was similar to the previous two days but this time it was already blowing over twenty knots out at sea and the news was of gusts nearer thirty. The heavy weights made grunting noises and flexed their muscles whilst the lighter crews were more concerned. Out at the race area it didn’t seem too bad in the lee of the land but it was going to be very gusty and shifty.

The first race got underway and Superspars lead from the start to the third lap. RWO were laying second with a big gap to third. A dodgy jibe and Superspars were swimming at the leeward mark with RWO closing in fast. Superspars just managed to recover and round ahead but couldn’t hold off RWO on the next downwind. Funny it was two of the lightest crews, both girls, who came out on top!

The final race was all to play for with Cousin Trestec, RWO and 1195 all in the chase. 1195 showed they were the masters in these winds after all with a good display of speed but it wasn’t over until the last jibe. Farter and Chunder laying second jibed and capsized; Cousin Trestec jibed and capsized; 1195 dropped their kite jibed and reached to the finish to take the gun and the championships. RWO finished second and second overall followed by Cousin Trestec in third and third O/A. Neil Pryde retired and slipped to fifth behind Superspars.

And so finished one of the most exciting ISO nationals for a long time; great racing and very competitive with close battles for 6th and 7th and other mini battles taking place. Well organised and very competitive! Well done to Neil and Sam.

Next event to look foreword to is the Inlands at Rutland in three weeks time.

Overall Results:

1st 1195 Neil ASHBY & Sam PROCTOR (Bewl Valley SC/Wilsonian SC)
2nd 1013 Pete LINDLEY & Annie LINDLEY (Downs SC/Downs SC)
3rd 814 Bob LADELL & Luke DRAPER (King George SC/King George SC)
4th 1185 Lloyd WALKER & Katie KEAM-GEORGE (Leigh SC/TBYC)
5th 1184S Jonny WELLS & Graham SEXTON (Essex YC/Thorpe Bay YC)
6th 553 Richard LEWIS & Simon LEWIS (Emsworth Slipper SC/Emsworth Slipper SC)
7th 815 Mike LILLYWHITE & Mark RIDDINGTON (Emsworth Slipper SC/Emsworth Slipper SC)
8th 1022 Robert HOWLETT & Barry NEWPORT (Poole YC/Poole YC)
9th 1024 Lyndon GOMERSALL & Gareth SELLORS (Bartley SC/Bartley SC)
10th 1178 Bruce BOWLER & Steven HARNIMAN (Essex YC/Essex YC)
11th 1195 Colin SNOOK & Tim CHARLESWORTH (Calshot SC/Langstone SC)
12th 682 Nik HODSON & Dan CRAFT (BCSC/TCYC)
13th 929 Ben TWIST & Sue TWIST (Broadstairs/Broadstairs)
14th 942 Philip HARRISON & Sarah HARRISON (RWYC/RYA)
15th 648 Brad SMITH & Richard SMITH (TCYC/TCYC)
16th 676 Alex MATHERS & Laura CHITTICK (Queen Mary SC/Queen Mary SC)