Enterprise Severnside Area Championship at Penarth Yacht Club

Nineteen Enterprise crews entered the Area Championship on the weekend of July 28th-29th. Eight visiting boats joined the local contingent for another windy event at Penarth.

Dr Alastair Buckley, of the University of Sheffield has been recording national sunshine readings says St Athan, just up the road from Penarth, was the second sunniest place in the UK in 2011, so no surprise the Bristol Channel was bathed in sunshine. The sailors looking out over the flat waters, dressed in their shorties and sunnies, had time to reassess the situation, when the committee boat announced a half hour postponement and reported 22knt wind readings. Those that changed into their dry suits did not regret the decision.

Race 1 saw Steve Graham and Chris Blundell (Northamton SC) first around the windward mark, a lead they maintained till the finish. They were followed by Nick Jackson and Karen Jewkes (Burghfield SC) with Ann Jackson and Alan Skeens (BSC) in third. Steve Lucey and Claudia Haynes (Penarth YC) were fourth at the final leeward mark, almost put it in on a tack, saved it, but spent an eternity in irons allowing four boats to sail by.

Race 2 followed a similar pattern up front with the Jacksons swapping finishing places, fourth place for the second time taken by Russell Bright and Alison Culverwell (PYC) just pipping Steve and Claudia on the line.

Quite a few crews had seen enough wind by the end of the second race. Meaning Race 3 had only nine finishers as DNF’s and DNC’s mounted up. Paul Young and Megan Ward (Midland SC) made it first to the wind ward mark but were passed by Steve and Chris on the reach on their way to a third bullet of the day, Steve and Claudia made it to second in front of Ann and Alan. With Paul and Megan slipped back to fifth getting their best result of the weekend, behind Nick and Karen.

Sunday started with a cloud burst and a damp tuning session with Steve Graham from Pinell and Bax explaining how to get the best out of his sails, but when time to get on the water the sun was out again and the wind was building.

The race course for open meetings is set beyond the shipping lane into Cardiff docks, for some inexplicable reason a dredger was drifting around in the vicinity of the windward mark. Race officer Martyn Bromley assisted by Pauline Hansen delayed the start until it disappeared.

Race 4 saw Steve and Chris having a less than perfect start. Ann and Alan were leading at the final leeward mark but managed to let Nick and Karen past with Jonathan Woodward and Nathan Cummings (South Staffs and PYC) getting second.

Johnathan and Nathan were leading for most of race 5 they were being followed closely by Russell and Alison when they capsized at the final wing mark. Russell tacked round and set off down the final reach with a sizable lead. By the leeward mark the were being pressed by Steve and Chris who passed them on the beat to the finish. Ann and Alan got another third.

The wind had been building with readings between 15 and 20knts with a gust of 28knts recorded even stronger than on Saturday. Steve and Chris again won the race with Nick and Karen second and Steve and Claudia third. The race was shortened much to the relieve of most of the competitors especially my crew Jane Pickford who having been for a swim for the fifth time and coming in ninth and last had had enough.

Overall Results: