Lightning 368 Inland Championship at Whitefriars Sailing Club
by Clive Evans 12 Oct 2015 13:09 BST
10 October 2015
Lightning 368 Inlands at Whitefriars © Kathryn Whelan
147, a perfect number to some and bewilderingly the number of lakes in the Cotswold Water Park. Whitefriars Sailing Club taking up just one of these were the enthusiastic hosts for this year's Lightning 368 Inland Championship.
Four races were held with the breeze varying from 5 knots to a maximum (maybe?) of around 15.
Close racing was a feature of the day throughout the fleet there was never a chance to sit back a sail out a race wherever you were in the fleet. That's the usual statement, and in the main it was true, but we have to admit that Paul White did win three races by a good margin! Second overall, Clive Evans felt "mentally exhausted" from four close finishes and Spike and Rupert put in some very consistent scores with Spike and Rupert engaging in a tacking duel to the finish in race 4 to decide third overall.
It was good to see former class champion Adrian Hollier back in a Lightning (borrowing Caroline's boat). 'Rustiness' might have prevented more consistent results but the speed that won the 2001 Nats. was evident at times.
Four different 6th place finishers made the mid fleet competitive, Hugh Spencer's years of Lightning experience being enough to hold off new Junior Inland Champion Andrew Robinson.
Next stop on the Lightning circuit is a visit to Broxbourne SC on 24th October before the season finishes at West Oxford SC on 14th November. If you are interested in some close, friendly and affordable class racing why not visit one of these venues to meet some of the characters and find out more?
Overall Results:
| Pos | Sail No | Helm | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | Pts |
|---|
| 1 | 406 | Paul White | Draycote SC | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| 2 | 29 | Clive Evans | Weston SC | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 3 | 294 | Spike Daniels | Oxford SC | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 10 |
| 4 | 74 | Rupert Whelan | Whitefriars SC | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 11 |
| 5 | 413 | Adrian Hollier | West Oxford SC | 5 | 7 | 2 | DNF | 14 |
| 6 | 230 | Hugh Spencer | Royal Plymouth CYC | 7 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 16 |
| 7 | 263 | Andrew Robinson | Whitefriars SC | 8 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 21 |
| 8 | 110 | Ian Ranson | Bolton SC | 9 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 23 |
| 9 | 130 | Charlie Whelan | Whitefriars SC | 6 | 10 | 9 | DNF | 25 |
| 10 | 49 | Mark Godden | West Oxford SC | 10 | 8 | 10 | DNF | 28 |
| 11 | 82 | Bryan Westley | Aldridge SC | 11 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 29 |
| 12 | 45 | Tony Hodson | Aldridge SC | 12 | 11 | 12 | DNF | 35 |