Wineglass Nationals at Fishers Green Sailing Club
by Brian Conroy 9 Jul 2010 08:36 BST
4 July 2010
This event held at Fishers Green Sailing Club was just a little special this year, the 53rd year of the Class. In that Trevor Kirby the designer and builder of the Wineglass dinghy, having recently returned from Canada, was able to be present the prizes for what was the fifty second National Championship. Fresh back from a voluntary exile in Canada, he was delighted to see the various derivatives based on his basic specification.
Trevor was the first to use glass fibre technology in building the Wineglass dinghy in the late 1950’s.
July the 4th brought out not only the star spangled banner but a very gusty SSW wind. Three races were to be held with a break for lunch after the second race. The courses set were somewhat testing, with a couple of jibes to negotiate in the first two races with the race officer relenting in the third. Fortunately there were only two capsizes but some spectacular planing soon made up for what was a full-on battle with a swinging south westerly. Before the start of the first race all was calm, but come the start sequence the promised gusty SSE showed its teeth. The race officer had set a good line and the fleet got away without incident, accept that the increasing breeze had broken the hold of the Committee boats anchor which caused some angst for the starters.
The first race, the calmest of the three, was won by Mo Allen and his daughter Amy sailing WG502 of the home Club, second were Brian Conroy and Ron Elston in WG508, with Mike Peters and Stan Tolfts in WG507 third.
The second race, with a now properly anchored Committee boat, saw all starters safely away in a still rising breeze and a changed course, set to eliminate the more dangerous of the jibes. Again on the runs and the reaches, the breeze was giving great sailing and yet, was coming and going at times keeping you on your toes. Conroy and Elston were first over the line with Peters and Tolfts chasing. Third were Roger Castle and Dick Reynolds sailing WG501.
After a lunch break, with no lessening of the breeze, the last race was the hairiest of the three, but was also the hardest fought with several changes at the front. Conroy turned out the luckiest on the final upwind leg, winning by some three lengths from Castle and Reynolds, with Malcolm Reeve and crew Marilyn, from Swarkestone SC third.
A great day's sailing and a wonderful day for the Wineglass class, with its designer present and each of the four derivations of this historic Class. At the prize giving the winning crew was presented with the solid silver model of a Wineglass, a trophy donated by the Harveys Company (of Bristol Cream fame) some 50 odd years ago. A good day's sailing.
Overall Results:
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1st Brian Conroy, Ron Elston, WG508, 2pts
2nd Roger Castle, Dick Reynolds, WG50, 5pts
3rd Mick Peters, Stan Tolfts, WG507, 5pts
4th Mo Allen, Amy Allen, WG502, 7pts
5th Malcolm Reeve, Marilyn Miles, WG505, 7pts
6th David Withall, Graham Hobart, WG473, 9pts
7th John Donoghue, Brian Casson, WG506, 11pts
8th Colin Gillings, Keith Pizey, WG234, 12pts
9th Ken Daniels, Dave Kirton, WG472, 27pts