Final 2017 Hansa National TT Series at Oxford Sailing Club
by Richard Johnson 12 Oct 2017 07:17 BST
4 October 2017
303 fleet during the final 2017 Hansa TT at Oxford © Tom Mackintosh
Blustery winds were forecast to rise after lunch but Southern visitors were delayed by a lorry fire so racing started one hour late, meaning a potentially demanding day for competitors.
As it turned out, racing was tight in all fleets, with Lindsay Burns winning all the 2.3 races but, if her protégé, Gregor Parker, had not been reefed, it may have been very different.
In the 303 singles, Margaret Foreman led every race, with impeccable tactics and sail handling, helped by Leslie Phillip's three retirements with breakages but he was a close second in the only race he managed to complete. Mike Everitt made good starts but couldn't match Margaret for speed around the course, coming second overall.
The 303 doubles introduced the new North Sails design that proved a winning formula for Steve Kitson and Malcolm Bentley but a 1, 3, 1, 1 score line. The bright yellow sails looked fast and should encourage others to buy a set. Tim Scarisbrick gave Steve a hard time, to come second overall and the Ethertons – series leaders – did just enough to come third overall and win the series. Steve Kitson also won the "Mr. Versatility" title by competing in 2.3 and 303 singles at other events.
The Libertys have probably had the closest racing of all this season, the whole fleet generally racing nose to tail. Paul Phillips won at Northampton, Frensham and the Multiclass, Chris Emmet won at Whitefriars, Burghfield and Nott's County so Oxford would be the Series decider.
Disaster struck Chris in Race 1 when his gooseneck broke, putting him out of the regatta. Luckily for Chris, National Champion Pat Crowley dominated proceedings with a 1, 1, 2, 1 score line and Paul was badly affected by the cold weather, only scoring 4, 5, 3, 3 – poor by his standards – so a cliff-hanger of a series was decided by a single point and won by Chris Emmet.
Oxford TT Results:
Hansa 2.3 class
1st Lindsay Burns (Frensham)
2nd Greg Parker (Frensham)
Hansa 303 One Person Class
1st Margaret Foreman (Frensham)
2nd Mike Everitt (Frensham)
3rd Leslie Philip (Tideway)
Hansa 303 Two Person Class
1st Steve Kitson and Malcolm Bentley (NFDS)
2nd Tim Scarisbrick and Hugh de Iong (Chesil)
3rd Philip Hall and Dave Ankers (Chesil)
4th Andy Sheath and Kate Lintott (Frensham)
5th Peter and Peta Etherton (Frensham)
6th Colin Freeman and Paul Kingston (Frensham)
Liberty Class
1st Pat Crowley (Rutland)
2nd David Durston (Whitefriars)
3rd Tessa Watkiss (Frensham)
4th Paul Phillips (Frensham)
5th Simon Harle (Rutland)
6th Chris Emmet (Rutland)
2017 Hansa National TT Series Results: (top three)
Hansa 2.3 class
1st Lindsay Burns (Frensham)
2nd Greg Parker (Frensham)
3rd Alistair Carr (Rutland)
Hansa 303 One Person Class
1st Margaret Foreman (Frensham)
2nd Mike Everitt (Frensham)
3rd Leslie Philip (Tideway)
Hansa 303 Two Person Class
1st Peter and Peta Etherton (Frensham)
2nd Tim Scarisbrick and Hugh de Iong (Chesil)
3rd Philip Hall and Dave Ankers (Chesil)
Liberty Class
1st Chris Emmet (Rutland)
2nd Paul Phillips (Frensham)
3rd David Durston (Whitefriars)
Ben Ainslie Team Trophy
1st Frensham Pond Sailability: Margaret Foreman, Lindsay Burns and Peter & Peta Etherton
2nd Rutland Sailability: Chris Emmet, Rik Hughes & John Haward and Pat Crowley
3rd Chesil Sailability: Tim Scaresbrick & Janet Whyte/Hugh de Iong, Philip Hall & Dave Ankers