2000 National Championship at East Lothian Yacht Club - Day 2

The second day of the Noble Marine and North Berwick Gin sponsored 2000 National Championship saw a totally different weather pattern; Sunny, warm, 12-16 knots, fairly steady westerly wind, and we were racing to the west of the club not the east.

The eager fleet, helped by the tide, needed 2 general recalls before a black flag produced a clean start. Steve and Sarah Cockerill sailed out from the pin end of the line up the left hand side of the beat, to pick the ideal left shift just at the right moment - and sailed off into the lead for the rest of the race.

Behind them, James Macgregor (Ullswater Yacht Club), sailing with a new crew Lucy Robson rounded in 2nd place, with the next 6 boats all very close behind. The trick of the race was to get the transition between the low and surf the waves, to the high and fast for speed at the correct time: Matt and Gwen Sargent were chasing the Cockerills and pulled through to 2nd, with Kevan and Lynne Gibb (Largo Bay Sailing Club) in 3rd place.

For the 2nd race of the day, the tide had slackened and the start was clean. Once again Steve and Sarah Cockerill sailed off from the pin into the lead, closely followed by Helen and Andrew Phillips from Cardiff Bay Yacht Club, The wind was slightly lighter, making the runs more tactical, and Iain and Sarah Yardley picked the right gybing point to take the lead with just one lap to go. But Steve and Sarah responded: somehow managing to both cover their main rivals, and to re-take the lead up the final beat. Chris and Gillian Jordan also took a great final beat to overtake 3 boats and move into 3rd at the finish.

The Chairman's Champagne moment was almost self-awarded - but you don't get anything for coming second! Instead, it was awarded to James and Lucy - never having sailed together before this week and still managing to finish in 5th place.

The evening saw the 2000 Class AGM - which generated a surprisingly great amount of debate about the future of the Class: the Inland Championships (plan to hold it later in the year); temporary membership (to encourage people to participate); free one-years membership to new people to the class; and to try different formula's for the Millennium Series meetings. Iain Yardley was very pleased to report his 2nd place in his final race as Class Chairman, and Kev O'Brien is hoping to repeat the honour / pleasure in the future as the new Class Chairman.

Results after Day 2:

More information on the East Lothian Yacht Club website here.