Flying Dutchman National Championship at Bala Sailing Club

by Julian Bridges 1 Sep 2015 20:36 BST 29-31 August 2015

Flying Dutchman Nationals at Bala © John Hunter

A select band of Flying Dutchman sailors held a closely fought championships as part of the bank holiday regatta at Bala SC. Jon Williams and Alex Rogers had to work hard to come out on top, with the event remaining open until the penultimate race.

Saturday saw Strang and Alex lead Glyn Sheffield and Chris Rutter round the first mark and off and away towards not the correct gybe mark at all, with the added fun of them having to re-rig their spinnaker properly during that leg. This allowed Julian Bridges and Jenny Williamson to lead for the remainder of that lap, before the lack of meat required to drive an FD uphill in a lovely force four meant that they slipped behind again, with Glyn and Chris scoring first blood from Strang and Alex.

In the second race with the three boats within fifty metres of each other near the first mark, Julian and Jenny suffered a wardrobe malfunction involving the main halyard and retired, with Glyn and Chris losing out on the shifts to Strang and Alex.

After lunch, the final race of the day gave them a second win and a comfortable overnight lead, but with Glyn and Chris still having plenty of chances left to put together a winning series.

Sunday morning dawned completely windless, a condition which persisted until everyone had had more than enough time to drink as much coffee, admire as many boats, end enjoy as much chat as could fill a whole week. Finally some air sneaked quietly in from the Denbigh moors to the north east, and PRO Ken Hull put on two good races, each involving more than a little of a game of snakes and ladders. Strang and Alex won the first, with Julian being too enthusiastic and having to return to restart, while in the second race they then slipped behind Julian and Jenny with Glyn and Chris keeping their hopes alive with a first.

The majority of the fleet, with assorted family and some members of the lower orders sailing Fireballs and RS400s, enjoyed a good meal out in the bright lights of bustling cosmopolitan Bala, all playing with various pieces of portable telephone apparatus to find the most hopeful forecast for Monday.

Again no wind, but fortunately the overnight rain had ceased before getting up time. Glyn and Chris had to wait for their final High Noon showdown, if they won, and there was only one race, they would win on countback, if two races, they would have to win both. Again Ken Hull waited until the breeze was at least as solid as a badly made jelly before making it happen. And again Wiley Coyote and Baldrick, sorry, Strang and Alex, showed they could do it in the quiet stuff just as well as in a breeze, and sowed it all up by lunchtime.

They did it for a final time in the afternoon, after a series of general recalls, obviously caused by competitors from other classes, with Julian and Jenny finally getting their act together in the conditions they are supposed to be good at and forcing them to cover for at least part of the race.

A great event despite the number of missing competitors, some of whom did actually have valid sick notes, and for those who did not, you missed a good weekend of sporting sailing, at a beautiful venue, with excellent race management and pizzas.

Overall Results:
If you took part in the Flying Dutchman nationals then enter your Gear Guide information here