Kestrel Open at Sutton Bingham Sailing Club
by Lin & Steve Worf 12 May 2011 06:54 BST
7-8 May 2011
We arrived at the sailing club on the Friday evening to a thunderstorm having had no rain for weeks.
Saturday morning greeted us with a sunny day and the wind gusting across the lake. Competitors signing on were entitled to a much-appreciated bacon or sausage roll and a cup of tea or coffee.
The event was attended by Comets, Wanderers and Kestrels. The race officer decided to make things interesting and started all the classes together with one start.
Saturday’s first race was set over the top end of the lake, the conditions were gusty or died away to nothing depending on which part of the course you were on, no chance of dosing off or losing concentration. Kestrel 1511- Steve & Lin Worf led the fleet to finish first with Kestrel 1594- Mike Burke & Jo Mahy taking second and 1625-Mike Riley & Lou Hart third.
After lunch the second and third races were moved towards the middle of the lake in a T shaped course, hoping to reduce the gusts!!! These were sailed back to back 1511 led both races with 1625 second and 1594 third.
Meanwhile on the shore preparation were in full flow for the evening BBQ until the rain returned to extinguish the BBQ and soak the racing sailors – BBQ?? now being held in the club house still made for a good evening had by all, a video was playing on a continuous loop of the day's racing.
Sunday morning dawned with increased wind strength and tricky conditions. The race officer chose to keep the sailing in the middle of the lake with a race mark up the right hand dog-leg of the lake. As on Saturday there was just the one start for everybody who had decided to brave the winds and race.
The fourth race of the weekend was won by 1511 after hoisting their spinnaker on the second leg of the race and stormed away, with 1594 taking second and 1625 third. The racing was continued after lunch, with a slight course change removing the mark where the wind disappeared to almost nothing then returned with full force as the boats emerged from the bend in the lake.
In the fifth race 1511 lost their overall lead after an incident on the start line with one of the Comets, resulting in 1511 having to do turns and ending up at the back of the fleet. 1536-Pete Barnstable & Carol led for the entire race and despite all efforts 1511 were unable to catch them before the finish. This race was won by 1536 with 1511 second and 1594 third.
Racing together with three different classes, with vast differences in boat speeds, made for some very interesting and challenging racing, particularly when rounding the marks.
Overall Results:
1st 1511, Steve & Lin Worf (Calshot S.C.)
2nd 1594, Mike Burke & Jo Mahy (Sutton Bingham S.C.)
3rd 1625, Mike Riley & Lou Hart (Sutton Bingham S.C.)
4th 1084, Dave Hill & Nikki Sendell (Sutton Bingham S.C.)
5th 1536, Pete Barnstable & Carol (Sutton Bingham S.C.)
A big thank you to the members of Sutton Bingham S.C. for making us so welcome and hope to see you next year.