Kestrel National Championships at Ullswater Yacht Club
by Kevin Edwins 27 Aug 2012 16:11 BST
4-7 August 2012
Race 1 (by Olive Glasspool)
After a delay waiting for the wind to arrive and for its direction to settle, Race Officer David Sykes set an ambitious 4 lap race. Unfortunately a keel boat and other competitors due to start later, created some difficulties on the start line. At the first mark, Stewart Murdoch and his daughter Mhairi from the Royal Tay Yacht Club, had established a lead, which they managed to maintain to win the race despite variable wind strength and direction, which resulted in many place changes within the rest of the fleet. Second to finish were Liam Pike and Alistair Luxford of Lakeside Sailing Club and in third place were John and Olive Glasspool of Alton Water Sailing Club.
The second scheduled race for the day was cancelled as the wind.
Race 2 (4th race of the event)
Race 2 for us was a lesson in how not to start a race and watch your main opposition get an absolute flyer. Steve and Lin Worf along with Liam and Alistair both made good starts down on the pin end. Yours truly with Gareth managed to get squeezed out on the line and were actually going backwards when the gun went. However it was Stewert/Mhairi first around the windward mark with Steve/Lin hot on there heels. Duncan and Keith Adams fought well around the coarse and with the wind now building to a more healthy force 3 to 4 their new boat, which hadn't touched water until this event, showed some real pace upwind and finished a solid 4th.
Stewert/Mhairi went on to win with a hard charging Steve/Lin a creditable 2nd. It showed that now they have a K2000 their form is starting to return. Yours truly and Gareth managed to scramble back up to 3rd. Liam/Ali had a rather subdued race and came home 5th. John and Olive Glasspool who lead for a short time and were giving Stewert/Mhairi a hard time on the first lap managed to capsize just after the gibe mark and struggled to get the boat back upright.
Race 3 (5th race of the event)
Race 3 will be long remembered as the race when a certain Scot with daughter (Malcolm and Danielle) had a Brave Heart moment and attempted to board the Ullswater Ferry, with boat and all.
This was probably the best race of the day with the wind still building and fairly consistent across the lake making it perfect racing conditions on points of sailing. A very important race for Stewert and Mhairi Murdoch, as a good result in this one would give them an unassailable lead. Liam and Alistair now relishing the conditions had other ideas and made the Murdoch's work hard for their win. Dave and Gareth had a quiet race but was having a bit of a battle with the Malcolm/ Danielle, Duncan/Keith until he managed to get the Ferry boat between him and the his pursuers. Unfortunately Malcolm didn't see the Ferry coming across his path, nor Duncan nipping across the Ferry bows: "Enough said". Stewert/Mhari were 1st with Liam/Ali 2nd yours truly with Gareth 3rd. Again Steve and Lin bested Duncan and Keith to take 4th and 5th respectively.
Race 4 (7th race of the event, by Dave Hearsum / Gareth Fay, Kestrel 1574)
So to the last race of the series. Stewert and Mhairi are to far ahead on points to be caught but it is feasible for yours truly and Gareth to catch Liam and Alistair.
It was to be another light wind fluky race with many wind holes for the unwary. Liam/Ali had another good start and we chased him hard around the first two marks and onto the first spinnaker leg. Liam/Ali then pinned Dave/Gareth down and away from the true coarse and managed to put a couple of boats between them and Dave/Gareth. Stewert/Mhairi slipped into the lead whilst this was all going on and was never headed. Liam/Ali held onto 2nd with Dave/Gareth recovering back up to 3rd. Steve/Lin Worf got through Duncan and Keith Adams on the last leg to take 4th.
Race 7 (by Duncan Adams, Kestrel 1663)
Liam and Alistair in Kestrel 1551 had a great start followed by Dave and Gareth in Kestrel 1574, Team Murdoch in Kestrel 1610 were not too far behind. With a nice windshift, those that were at the pin end had a great start, while those on the starboard had to fight their way back through the fleet. Liam and Alistair were followed around the windward mark by Dave and Gareth. It was not until the next leg that we saw the speed of Team Murdoch and they took the lead. This is how things stayed until the last beat when the three teams stayed in to the shore, which left Team Adams to go out right and get a "lucky" shift and breeze. This enabled Team Adams to take the lead but very sadly this was to be short lived as the wind stopped. This allowed the team of Liam and Alistair followed by Dave and Gareth to take 1st and 2nd while team Adams took 3rd place. Race 7 was the only race that Stewart and Mhairi Murdoch failed to win.
Overall Results:
If you finished in the top ten at the Kestrel nationals then enter your Gear Guide information here
1st 1610 Stewart & Mhaira Murdock (Royal Tay YC)
2nd 1551 Liam Pike & Alastir Luxford (Lakeside)
3rd 1574 David Hearsum & Gareth Fay (Hickling Broard)
4th 1633 Duncan & Keith Adams (Attenborough)
5th 1545 Steven & Lynn Worf (Calshot SC)
6th 1621 Malcolm & Dannielle Worsley (Royal Tay YC)
7th 1537 John & Olive Glasspool (Alton Water SC)
8th 1559 Ian Hunter & Trevor Macdonald (Royal Tay YC)
9th 1563 Henry & Chris Richards (Goldhanger SC)
10th 1632 Sandy & Leslie Bremner (Royal Tay YC)
11th 1612 Nick & Jo Whiteley (Ullswater YC)
12th 1601 Alasdair Hood & Morrison Campbell (Royal Tay YC)
13th 1606 Angus & Rory Broadhurst (Royal Tay YC)
14th 1553 Ian & Harry Rintoul (Broxbourne)
15th 1510 Jeremy & Ian Drummond (Wilsonian SC)
16th 1573 Rod & Jenny Brown Lee (Goldhanger SC)
17th 1544 Kevin Edwins & Kevin Jones (SWSC)
18th 1616 Carl & Karen Hallam (Ullswater YC)
19th 1488 Philip Trevelyan & Chetwin Butler (Filey)
Other Prizes Awarded:
Improvers over the week were Chris and Henry Richards (Goldhanger SC)
Highest placed newcomers were Carl & Karen Hallam (Ullswater YC)
Champagne Moment was won by Malcolm & Dannielle (Royal Tay YC)
Best Moment was won by Ian & Harry Rintoul (Broxbourne)
Wet Welly was won by Rod & Jenny Brown Lee (Goldhanger SC)
Masters Trophy was won by John& Olive Glasspool (Alton Water)
Crews Race was won by Gareth Fay & David Hearsum (Hickling Broad)
Mark Two Trophy was won by Jeremy & Ian Drummond (Wilsonian SC)
Endeavour Charles Cox Trophy was won by Carl & Karen Hallam (Ullswater SC)
Thanks from the KOA Association to all those Ullswater YC members who helped make our 2012 Kestrel National Championpship such a great success, this also extends to those KOA members and friends that helped with rescue, race control and help ashore.
Special thanks goes to David Sykes from Ullswater YC who acted as RO for the whole event, in sometimes in difficult conditions.