Access Class TT at All Aboard Watersports, Baltic Wharf

On the run during the Access TT at Baltic Wharf © Pete Farmer

Fighting for water during the Access TT at Baltic Wharf © Pete Farmer

All Aboard Watersports and Baltic Wharf Sailing Club welcomed the Access TT Series to Bristol on a beautiful Saturday, the last day of summer.

Previous years have seen difficult conditions for the competitors, but this time the conditions were perfect with warm sunshine and good winds.

Bristol offers a unique sailing experience as the course is in the centre of the city and in the middle of a working harbour. High buildings around the docks means that the winds shift direction frequently, and that, together with the high number of vessels around the harbour, makes a challenging and interesting course.

With all craft safely unpacked and launched and all sailors fed and watered, the army of volunteer helpers from the centre and club making it easy work the briefing took place with the niceties of the course being explained to the sailors as well as the protocols regarding right of way and navigation channels in the docks. Armed and ready for battle the sailors then took to the water and racing started at 11am., with two races before lunch and a further two afterwards. The presence of six safety craft on the water at all times supervising navigation and sailor safety made it a relaxed pleasure to watch.

Competition was fierce as the photos show, with fighting for water round every mark and a general recall for the 303's at the third race. The results were very close, but victory was at last claimed by the following...

Access 2.3
1st Anya De Iongh (Chesil Sailability)

Access 303 - One Person
1st Paul Phillips (Frensham Pond)
2nd Tessa Watkiss (Frensham Pond)
3rd Monique Foster (Frensham Pond)

Access 303 – Two Persons
1st Ian and Paul Clements (Chew Valley)
2nd Peter and Peta Etherton (Frensham Pond)
3rd Andy and Sed Sheath (Frensham Pond)

Access Liberty
1st David Durston (Whitefriars)
2nd Tom Harper (New Forest)

We were delighted to host the race again this year as the numbers visiting us and racing increases year on year. It was lovely to welcome old friends back and to meet new sailors from different clubs, which included sailors from Chesil Sailability for whom this was their first Access event. It was also good to introduce some young sailors to their first open racing, these included Reuben Hothersall from Bristol.

Thanks to all the people who gave their time to make this race day a great success and we look forward to hosting the event again next year.