The One Bassenthwaite Lake Sailing Week 2017 - Final Report
by Mik Chappell 15 Aug 2017 08:09 BST
5-13 August 2017
After Wednesday's light winds organisers and competitors waited with interest to see what the second half of the week would bring. Thursday had a misty start and there was a brief postponement until the wind filled in from the West.
New class winners were Steve Blackburn (West Lancs) / Royston Taggart (Pilkington) in an Enterprise and Paul & Vicky Bowmer (Bass) in a GP14 and Derek & Mark Booth in an Albacore. Other winners were Neill Currie/ Kayla Sheard, Garry Knott, Graham & Sebastian Vials, Robin & Erin Dawson, Chris & Chloe Parker and Steve Thomas.
Then it was on to the RNLI pursuit race on Wednesday afternoon. With the wind varying some starts benefited more than others. This particularly applied to the Solos and Robin Dawson and Paul Allen took full advantage taking the top two places. Paul Bowmer, this time with Dave Lawson crewing took third and the supernova of Sam McKay (Swarkestone) was fourth.
RNLI Pursuit Race results
On Friday two TV companies were present. It was all change with rain and a wind strength of 3 gusting 5 which made for reduced fleet numbers. But it created good viewing of the racing and many capsizes both from the shore and later on TV.
In the John Peel Tankard in the morning new winners were Ben Pickering (Chase) in his Solo and Angus Corry / Shaun Billany (Bass) in the Fifteens and Alex & Olivia Leonard (Bass) in the RS200s. Other class and fleet winners Garry Knott in a Laser, Jonathan & Henry Bullen's Mirror and, in the Handicap Fleets, Mark Somerville / Joe Roberts, Peter Makin and Steve Blackburn.
John Peel Tankard results
In the afternoon it was the traditional race for Ladies, Juniors and Seniors. Winner of the first category was Zena Martin in her Laser 4.7 while Ethan Dawson / Tom Squires were the first Juniors in their RS200. Paul Bowmer, this time with Duncan Greenhalgh crewing, ended a successful second half of the week with a win in the Senior category.
Friday results
The final weekend's Cutty Sark Trophy was scheduled to be a four race series but, as Sunday's prediction was for little or no wind everyone made the most of Saturday's three races. The forecast was spot on as Sunday's race was abandoned. The Enterprises had a particularly close battle with the six top boats shadowing each other in race 2 but it was Steve Blackburn who took the class with three bullets.
Cutty Sark Challenge results
The only new winners were Dave & Olivia Cody (Derwent Reservoir) in their Mirror the other winners being – dare I say – as expected! They were Paul & Jude Allen, Neil Platt / Kayla Sheard, Dave & Lynn Lawson, Mark Lunn, Tim Hand, Phil Smith / Izzie Hunter, Steve Thomas and Andy & Sue Flitcroft.
More information and full results from all days at www.bassweek.org.uk