Flying Fifteen Team Racing at Bassenthwaite Sailing Club

The victorious Team from Royal Windermere YC after Flying Fifteen Team Racing at Bassenthwaite © William Carruthers

The final Open meeting of the season took place at Bassenthwaite SC last weekend. Well, it would have been a weekend if there had been any racing on the Sunday. But no! Calm conditions prevented this and three races on the Saturday decided the outcome.

The Event was the Viking Trophy, a Flying Fifteen Team Event with three boats per Team. It panned out well with three Entries from Royal Windermere YC, six from Derwent Reservoir SC and nine from the Home Club.

In addition to representing their Club each Team had selected a name. Some are best not repeated but Bassenthwaite's No 1 team chose 'Bassturds' which many thought appropriate!

Saturday's wind was from the north east and was chilly. Some of the lulls were frustratingly light but, inevitably, expertise came to the fore and Steve Goacher/Tim Harper from RWYC took the win from Simon Longstaff / Jon Denwood (Bass A) and Neil Platt / Ian Smith (Bass B).

In Race 2 it was light weather supremo John Hardisty from DRSC crewed by Nick Christie who broke through beating Goacher / Harper to the line. Terry Crumpton / John Mathie in the second Derwent A Team boat finished third.

As the wind had faded further a third race seemed unlikely but, when it filled in again, the start sequence went ahead. This time the leading group were closely bunched right through to the finish, so much so that recording accurate finishing positions on the final reach was a nightmare. It was, however, agreed that Goacher / Harper had taken a further win from team mates Nigel & Gavin Tullett with Bass A's Neil Currie / Nick Smith third.

Team results showed how close a contest it had been with Royal Windermere on 14 points and Derwent A on 16 points. Bass A were on 22, Bass B on 31, Derwent B on 36 and Bass C on 50. Individual placings put Steve Goacher / Tim Harper first ahead of John Hardisty / Nick Christie with Neil Platt / Ian Smith third.

Overall Results: (apologies for lack of crew names)