Flying Fifteen Open at Dovestone Sailing Club

by David McKee 3 Oct 2012 07:53 BST 29-30 September 2012

Competitors were treated to a force 3 / 4 south westerly wind and a bright though cold first day. The Pennine Hills were at their magnificent best and the local shepherd and his dog was herding his sheep past the boat park and cars whilst competitors were rigging. There was an entry of 18 boats and on Saturday a great deal of place changing during both races partly as a result of the gusting and often fluky winds. Over night Guy Kippen and Chris Massey held the lead from David McKee and Emily Kippen tied on points with Andy Goddard and Mal Hartland, all from the host club.

After racing the Travellers Series sponsor Justin Waples of Waples Wines provided an entertaining and educational wine tasting that set up a fine meal and evening's entertainment at the club.

Sunday dawned with a force 5 / 6 gusty wind, rain and no forecast of any improvement. Race 3 was started in conditions that at times were ferocious, 14 boats started and 7 finished in what proved to be extremely testing conditions. Kippen/Massey won from Longstaff/Denwood. The 4th race was sailed back to back with the first one in similar conditions. At times the wind and the gusts were brutal with large gusts and many boats exposing their keels for inspection. This time Longstaff/Denwood won from Goddard/Hartland.

Four hardy boats decided to sail the final race with Goddard/Hartland winning from Kippen/Massey in conditions that had significantly moderated, however the lighter winds were extremely variable after the storm. Colin Pierce/Mandy Thackray sailed well to win the Silver prize.

Despite the taxing wind conditions this had proved to be a successful meeting with first timers Kippen/Massey sailing in Graham Massey's borrowed 3805 showing the class stalwarts the way around.

Overall Results:

1st 3805 Guy Kippen/Chris Massey (Dovestone SC) 7pts
2nd 3959 Andy Goddard/Mal Hartland (Dovestone SC) 9pts
3rd 3973 Simon Longstaff/Jon Denwood (Bassenthwaite SC) 11pts

1st Silver 3391 Colin Pierce/Mandy Thackray (Dovestone SC)
1st Classic 2125 Gavin Cassidy/Martin Edmondson (Dovestone SC)
1st Vintage 419 John Clarke/Mick Scholes (Dovestone SC)

Waples Wines Flying 15 Travellers' Series 2012

The Waples Wines sponsored Series comprises the 4 open meetings of Bassenthwaite, Ogston, Burton and Dovestone. The Series is eligible for all sailors except for the top 15 in the previous World Championship qualifiers list. The Series is targeted at club sailors and occasional open meeting sailors and is intended to encourage people who have not travelled to other venues to give it a try and also to provide support for the open meetings of the competing clubs.

The Series had 37 boats entered in total representing 8 clubs. Of the 37 boats 21 were open classified boats, 8 from the Silver fleet and 8 from the Classic fleet.

The results of the Series were not settled until the final event hosted by Dovestone Sailing Club on 29/30 September. This event was sailed in blustery conditions.

The Series was won by Andy Goddard and Mal Hartland from Dovestone Sailing Club for the third year. This year newcomers to the Series Simon Longstaff and Jon Denwood from Bassenthwaite Sailing Club came second on count back, tied on points with Jon and Julia Ward from Ogston Sailing Club.

The Silver championships was equally closely fought with the eventual victors Colin Pierce and Mandy Thackray from Dovestone Sailing Club beating Malcolm and Elliot Hall from Burton Sailing Club by only 2 points.

The Series has again proved to be successful benefitting from good social events on the Saturday nights and in particular from enjoyable and educational wine tastings provided by the Series host Waples Wines at the first and the last events. This years new sponsor Waples Wines has added a further dimension to the Series which has now concluded its 5th year and the competitors and organising clubs are very appreciate of this involvement.

Our thoughts now turn to organisation for the 2013 Series and details of the clubs and dates of the events will be published as soon as possible and prior to Christmas.

Series Results:

1st 3959, Andy Goddard/Mal Hartland (Dovestone SC)
2nd 3973, Simon Longstaff/Jon Denwood (Bassenthwaite SC)
3rd 2667, Jon Ward/Julie Ward (Ogston SC)
4th and 1st Silver, 3391, Colin Pierce/Mandy Thackray (Dovestone SC)
5th and 2nd Silver, 2864, Malcolm Hall/Elliot Hall (Burton SC)