Graduate Nationals at Chipstead Sailing Club - Day 2

The wind comes from several directions on day two of the Graduate nationals © Ros Foster

The wind comes from several directions on day two of the Graduate nationals © Ros Foster

Race 2

Slightly steadier winds were forecast for the second day at the Graduate Nationals. The wind initially came from the North West which made it very difficult to get a reasonable length beat but the Race Officer used his local knowledge and set a clever course. The wind shifted more to the East throughout the race which turned the reach legs into a beat. John Clementson & Jamie Clementson from Chipstead came out of the blocks quickest and took an early lead. Great teamwork and a championship winning boat helped their cause until the last run to the finish where Steve Cockerill and Liam Garnder gybed away to the right on the run to pick up a new stronger breeze. John and Johnathan worked hard to take back the lead on the last beat, but Steve and Liam held off John and Jamie, closely covering them to the finish. Graham & Bradley Hughes ghosted though the fleet to take a well earned 3rd.

Race 3

The wind had moved to the East - which meant that sometimes it came from the East AND sometimes it went TO the East - and many other points of the compass in between. John and Jamie made light work of the conditions and took the lead early and quickly gained an unassailable lead whilst Steve and Liam found themselves the odd hole to fight out of. They were lucky to hold off Stewart Eaton & Clare Pritchard who had passed them on one downwind leg.

Race 4

Finally the wind filled in from the East (mostly) and it was again local Chipstead sailors who took the early lead, Alan Warren and Linda Dobson scortching ahead with John Moore & Andrew Henstock also finding the pressure and shift on the right side of the course. Steve and Liam planned to shadow John and Jamie and held them to the left side on the first beat only to get passed on a huge left shift. The next downwind leg was exciting, the wind filled in from behind - taking John and Jamie Clementson up to the transom of Alan and Linda, with Graham and Bradley Hughes rounding the leeward mark in third. Steve and Liam rounded in fith just behind Laurence & Richard Gibbons - but with a little increase in wind strength they quickly pulled back to second on the second beat with John and Johnathan taking the lead from Alan Warren who settled into third. They had then their own private battle with David and Sandra Wilson for third. Steve and Liam rounded the leeward mark with a lap to go just behind John and Johnathan and got a lucky right shift whist rounding it to starboard to take a small lead to windward of John and Johnathan. Steve & Liam then footed over them just in time to get to the left to get the next left shift. Despite some cleaver sailing they were able to hold them off - with lots of high drama tacking and gybing duels to the finish. The last race was almost a double pointer. If Steve and Liam had lost this one - then their lead would have been halved - but in winning, they need only now to stop John from winning one of the last two races on the last day.

Results after Day 2: