Bass Week at Bassenthwaite Sailing Club - Day 6
by Mik Chappell 6 Aug 2010 11:36 BST
31 July - 8 August 2010
AM – The Martini Challenge Trophy sponsored by Insurance4Dinghies & Grapevine
With a touch of brightness around and a force 4 westerly wind it was a good day for sailing. However gusts and wind shifts were still plentiful and kept concentration levels high. The first race had the usual fleet starts and, for a change there was a line with little bias. In the Fast Handicap Fleet it was RS400’s filling the podium positions, Robbie Dawson ahead of Andy Wilcox and Garry Knott. Winsford Flash SC boats filled the top three positions in the RS200 class, Steve Vandersteen being sandwiched between brother and sister helms Andrew and Hannah Bailey.
In the FF class Jon Denwood dropped his kite under the boat and thought retirement was the best option. John Hardisty finished in the lead position with Mike Moore second. In the Lasers it was Tim Keighley leading the Swarkstone SC boats of John Hainsworth and Callum Lambourn. In the Medium Handicap fleet Nigel Miller caused quite a stir when his toe strap broke and he fell out of his Albacore capsizing in a big way and needing assistance from a safety Dory to right the boat and tow it back to the slipway. Mike Cowan put in an excellent performance to finish second to Mark Somerville and place their Varios at the head of the class.
Andy Smith made a superb start in the GP14 fleet but failed to hold off Dave Lawson for the lead position whilst Mark Dinsdale beat Alan Baker in the Enterprises with Richard Critchley dropping down the field when his kicker snapped. Another mega start was that of Steve Hunt’s Solo in the Slow Handicap Fleet giving him an unassailable lead over David Ivins’ Graduate . In the Mirror fleet John Telford turned the tables beating Emlyn Davies while Peter Mackin beat Oliver Blackburn in the Toppers.
PM – The Lifeboat Silver Salver sponsored by Talisker Whisky
The afternoon race was a pursuit and for the first time at Bass it featured a moving gate finish coming into play at exactly ninety minutes. After the first half hour the Mirror of John Telford maintained a significant lead. Elaine Ross was doing a fine job in leading the RS200’s while William Carruthers was vying with Paul Allen as leading RS400. Dave Lawson who had been lead GP14 was forced to do turns and let a number of his fleet including the Club’s Commodore Dave Nicholson through. Tom Lee in a National 12 was also seen doing turns around this time.
As the hour approached the Mirror was maintaining its lead but Neil Platt had broken clear of GP’s and was clearly in contention for the win along with David Ivins’ Graduate. The Musto Skiff of Jethro Gebhard had yet to show at this stage. Ben Ratcliffe’s Solo was doing well but was unlikely to make ground on the group of similarly handicapped GP14’s ahead of him.
At the seventy five minute mark Platt was some 4 minutes behind Telford. Gebard was closing but still a long way back. When the five minute signal was sounded the Mirror was 60 seconds ahead of the GP14 and the only thing that was certain was that it would be a close call! But Platt was through at the ninety minute signal with just twenty seconds to spare. The GP’s of Andy Smith and Lawson, Ivins’ Graduate and Gebhard’s Musto Skiff filled the next positions. Think I will take up spectating rather than competing if all races are as close and exciting as this!
Volvo Champion Club
Following racing a presentation to Bassenthwaite SC of “Volvo Champion Club” training establishment took place led by the RYA’s Northern Area High Performance Manager and the Sales Manager of the local Volvo dealership.