Kestrel Open at Stewartby Water Sailing Club

Kestrels at Stewartby Water © Teresa Hughes

Stewartby Water Sailing Club hosted the Kestrels over the weekend of the 28-29th it had a whole mix of conditions from clear blue skies to a brief squall. It saw some new faces to the fleet and a welcome return for some old. Not only that but it was a great warm up event for the Nationals being held the following weekend from the 4th August at Ullswater Yacht Club.

Saturday saw 4 races on the schedule and after the briefing from Stewartby's own Karl Pountney the racing got under way. New comers to the fleet Steve and Ruth Ivory had a fab start and where in the mix around the windward mark, while husband and wife crew of Steve and Lynn Worf took the lead the "out of practise" Dusty and John where a few spaces back but it did not take them long to get settle into the old retained and took the lead where they stayed for most of the race, mean while the race for the other places hotted up and Liam and Al settled into a second place with Team Worf taking third.

Race two was in similar conditions clear skies and shifty winds however the race took a very similar format with Dusty and John out in the front, Liam and Al where second while new team on the block farther and son team Duncan and Keith Adams had third.

Race Three started off with a different tone, Team Adams took the lead at the first make and lead all the way round giving Dusty and John a run for the money until the excitement was too much and the guys took back the lead down the run, this then lead to a battle for second with some slick tacks from both boats giving Liam and Al a chance to catch up which lead to a very close call on the line finally falling to Team Adams for second place by a nose!

Race Four was another battle for the top three which left the rest of fleet battling for the next few spots. The shifty conditions let the experience of Team Worf take forth and Fifth went to team Ivory and the Two Kevin's took 6th.

Sunday's conditions started the same but some had a fuzzy head from the antics of Saturday night... Race 5 got away with one naughty Kestrel pushing the line Dusty and John took the lead from the 1st mark while Liam and Al where second closely followed by Team Worf, The Battle for 3,4,5,6 was where the race was at towards the end with Team Adams pulling out a fab second half of the race to clinch 3rd from Team Worf.

Race 6 was when the wind hit, 30 seconds for the start saw a 40 degree shift onto port which caused a few boats to get in a tangle leaving a few boats to get away some cleaner than others, which suspicions of being over the line Team Worf surrender their position to duck back which left Dusty and John to lead the way around. This then left the race wide open with Team Adams closing the gap all the way around after making up the ground lost at the start Liam and Al where closing the gap on Team Adams which lead to another great battle between the two boats until the last drop, where Team Adams took advantage and gained the second place Liam and Al in 3rd, Team Worf who recovered well and had 4th while the two Kevin's put in a sterling performance for 5th.

Thank you for all at Stewartby for a great weekend, looking forward to the Winter Nationals later in the year.

Well done to all who took part and made a great weekend, for more information on the Kestrel please have a look at the class website - www.kestrel.org.uk

Looking forward to see you all at the Nationals.

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