P&B Streaker Inlands at Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club
by Alan Gillard 10 Sep 2009 16:03 BST
5-6 September 2009
21 Streaker's gathered at Leigh & Lowton SC on the weekend 5th/6th September for the Inland Championship. Conditions were near on perfect with steady force 2-4 winds, cloudy on the Saturday but the sun made an appearance on Sunday. PRO Paul Allen and his team conducted some slick racing with minimal time turn round for back to back racing, good courses and start lines, no recalls and a race time that gave all a chance to show.
Race 1 was started in a force 2-3 SW on a figure of 8 course, Ian Jones lead around the 1st mark followed by a group of boats which included; Alan Gillard, Nick Lovell, Ian Bradley and Tom Gillard. Ian Jones held the lead until the 2nd lap downwind. Alan was making good ground on a gust well to leeward of the leading 2, Ian Jones and Tom, who were having their own private battle, Tom was able to gybe away into the gust which unluckily left Ian in less wind, losing the lead. Tom nipped around the gybe mark in front of Alan. Before the finish Ian Jones was seen to test the water, fortunately not loosing any further places. The final order was Tom 1st, Alan 2nd, Ian Jones 3rd, and Nick Lovell 4th.
After lunch, race 2 got underway on a new course, although the wind had shifted to a westerly, giving PRO Paul Allen chance to set a long beat the length of the Flash. The wind had strengthened also to a force 3-4.
Alan rounded the 1st mark in the lead from Ian Jones, Tom and a group of others, including Peter Tyerman, Ian Bradley and Nick. As the leading boats approached the next mark Ian Jones capsized whilst gybing, this allowed Tom to pull through into 2nd, which he very quickly established as 1st as he planed past Alan on the next reach. Ian Jones sailed superbly to catch up Alan by the penultimate mark, and promptly capsized again. So quick was his recovery that Alan did not manage to take 2nd although he nearly piped Ian Jones on the finish line, Ian Bradley took 4th.
Almost immediately the last boat had finished, Race 3 started on a changed course, which had more reaches to it. This allowed the fleet to enjoy the Streaker off wind performance to the full. Again Alan was 1st at the windward mark. The pattern had been set though as first Ian Jones and then Tom passed Alan on the down wind legs. These 3 dominated this race, with changes to the order as each worked the shifts upwind. Tom won again with Ian Jones 2nd and Alan 3rd. The group behind were also having a good competitive race, which included Paul Burgoine, Nick Lovell, Ian Bradley and new to the Streaker Fleet Ian Lees.
Prior to the start of the event the fleet had been split into Gold and Silver fleets. The Silver fleet were sailing for the new 'Silver Spars Trophy' which, for this event had been sponsored by 'Sail Register'. After the 1st days racing Dave Butler was leading, although not sailing the 1st race was consistent with his 2nd and 3rd race results of two 8th places. Close behind was Peter Tyerman on 18 points and then a group all on 19 points which, included Barney Proud, Matt and Ian Whitfield.
Day 2 dawned rather slowly for some as the Streaker fleet had got to work on the L&L bar overnight, filling the bar with the empties. A shift in direction to a southerly and less wind saw PRO Paul Allen set a shorter course, but back to the figure of 8 configuration. Yet again Alan Gillard rounded the 1st mark in the lead, followed by Ian Jones, Dave Butler and Tom. Alan held the lead until the 3rd lap at which point the wind disappeared on the leaders allowing Ian Bradley followed by Ian Jones to sneak through on their own private wind before rounding the leeward mark. The next beat saw the lead change once again as Ian Jones pulled through from 2nd to 1st and Tom climbed up to 2nd. This became the finishing order as Ian Bradley then finished 3rd, with no recovery for Alan as he came 4th.
The 5th and final race was sailed in a now freshening breeze from the south west; Paul Allen had shifted the course slightly to give again a figure of 8 course but with 2 beats and 2 runs. Alan had decided that it obviously did not pay to round in the lead at the 1st mark as he had not gained anything from doing so. Nick Lovell took up the challenge followed by Ian Jones and then Alan. Although Tom had already won the event he still came through to take the lead and win this race, the finishing order being Tom 1st, Nick 2nd, Ian Jones 3rd, and Ian Bradley 4th.
The racing continued to be competitive to the end within the Silver Fleet, with Peter Tyerman achieving two 7th places on the final day to promote him to 7th overall and win the 'Silver Spars Trophy' and with it an Undercover courtesy of 'Sail-Register'. Dave Butler did not quite enjoy the lighter conditions of the 2nd day and so had to settle for 2nd, whilst Alan Simmons who had travelled probably the furthest to get to Leigh and Lowton from Lancing SC took a well deserved 3rd and 9th overall.
Overall prizes were presented to all the sailors who completed the 5 races. Our grateful thanks to the main sponsors of the event Pinnel & Bax who supplied rudder or dagger-board bags to the 1st 12.
The Streaker Class would also like to thank Leigh & Lowton sailing club for being superb hosts for this championship.