Craftinsure Wayfarer National Circuit and Junior Championship at West Oxfordshire Sailing Club

Winners Tom(l) and Andrew(r) Wilson receive their prizes from Les Burton © Belinda O'Donnell / Derek Lamber

Wayfarer Junior Champion , Sam Cannell, with Les Burton (WOSC) and Nigel O'Donnell (UKWA) © Belinda O'Donnell / Derek Lamber

Visitors from Swarkestone SC arrived on the Friday afternoon and were welcomed at the WOSC by Les Burton who opened the bar for the contingent of Wayfarer and Wanderer sailors to relax and chat once tents had been erected and camper-vans parked with their roofs raised.

The wind on Saturday was a SW which increased to the forecast 9 to 14 knots from the top end of the lake, promising a long beat to the first mark and a combination of close spinnaker reaches and downwind section on the return journey. With twelve Wayfarers on the water there promised to be a good day's sailing.

Andrew and Tom Wilson in 11093 took an early lead at the first windward mark mark and were unchallenged for the remainder of the race. Following in second at the top mark was 11183 sailed by Mike Weighill and Carl Martin with Nigel and Belinda O'Donnell in 11189 close behind in third. These two remained close for the whole race until the O'Donnells got ahead of Weighill/Martin near the end. Local sailors Rob Hoare and Sue Weinstock in 11174 finished fourth.

The second race was sailed after lunch. Again, the Wilsons rounded the windward mark in the lead with Hoare/Weinstock in second place and Weighill/Martin in third. The top three places remained unchanged throughout the race to the finish.

The third race was sailed back to back with the second. A good start by Weighill/Martin allowed them to get to the windward mark in the lead followed by Hoare/Weinstock and the Wilsons. Weighill/Martin held the lead for two legs before a tangle allowed the Wilsons and Hoare/Weinstock to pass. Weighill/Martin regained second place on the next beat and the front two boats pulled away as the wind faded on the final lap. The final result was again the Wilsons in first, with Weighill/Martin and Hoare/Weinstock completing the podium.

At the end of the first day the Wilsons had dominated through a master class in sailing. However with the points close, the competition for minor places remained fierce with the prospect of exciting racing the following day.

WOSC did their usual fine job of entertaining the troops on Saturday night. A fish and chip supper with good beer on tap and a stockpile of gin which even the Wayfarer sailors could not dent and a superb rock band made the evening a memorable one, capped off by a lighting display in the heavens and heavy rain as competitors retired to their tents/campers.

The wind on Sunday was 9 to 14 knots wind backing from the SW to the SE overnight and now coming across the lake from the club house. The conditions on the water would prove to be very shifty.

With a short beat to the top mark a good start in the fourth race was necessary to avoid the inevitable crush of boats. The Wilsons rounded the top mark in the lead with Weighill/Martin in second place and Hoare/Weinstock once again in third. Over the course of the race the leading two boats pulled away from the fleet. However on the final lap back markers in the Wanderer fleet (which was sharing the open meeting with the Wayfarers, along with superb sailing from Hoare/Weinstock allowed them to catch up and overtake Weighill/Martin. A match race ensued with Weighill/Martin just getting the better of Hoare/Weinstock at the finish to take the runners up spot behind the Wilsons.

There was a change of course for the fifth race but this still provided another tight start line with a short beat to the first mark. The Wilsons showed their dominance by rounding in the lead once again. A short leg course provided tight racing with a number of boats needing to do penalty turns. With the Wilsons winning they completed a clean sweep of the races. Sue Burton and Pauline Dobbs sailing 9614 finished in second place (their best result of the weekend with Hoare/Weinstock once again in third.

The winner of the Wayfarer Junior Championship was won by Sam Cannell from the host club who finished in 10th place overall.

Overall Results: