Millennium Series round 3 at Lee-on-the-Solent Sailing Club

Rob and Sarah Burridge win Millennium Series round 3 at Lee-on-the-Solent © Kev O'Brien

Simon Horsfield and Gemma Burridge are second at Millennium Series round 3 at Lee-on-the-Solent © Kev O'Brien

Richard and Ian Hudson take third at Millennium Series round 3 at Lee-on-the-Solent © Kev O'Brien

Thirteen boats sailed the third 2000 Millennium Series event over the weekend of 21/22 July 18 partnering with the RS400s. The competition was very close and with the added dimension of tide proved to be challenging. Classic Solent racing! The club and race committee did a fantastic job in delivering first class racing environment.

With the online forecast not great with the prevailing wind but with the recent hot weather and being a costal venue, the sea breeze was always going to produce champagne sailing conditions.

The first 2 races saw the wind coming from the eastern Solent with the tide running the fleet over the line and towards the first mark. The first race got underway with no one over the line and the fleet split with people seeking the tide on the right and some seeking the pressure and left, the later proved to pay as there was significant split in the fleet at the windward mark. Race one Rob and Sarah Burridge took the bullet, Helen and Andrew were set to take second but with the tide running the fleet away from the finish line, they had to undertake a last-minute gybe in which Kev and Jake O'Brien managed to snaffle second by half a metre!

The breeze began to build and Race 2 got underway with no recalls people took a more majority approach and headed left. Simon Horsfield was first around the mark with 'Casino' Chris Brown second with Kev / Jake and Rob/Sarah close by. On the downwind leg displacement sailing was in high order with everybody squeezing every opportunity to soak downwind. Rob the master of downwind managed to wriggle inside of Kev, Kev took an opportunity to gybe inside Casino. Coming into the leeward mark Rob was clear ahead of Chris but this caused a little racing incident to which a penalty turns were taken. Was there an overlap or not? Simon Horsfield took the bullet and Rob sailed on to take second and Kev/Jake took third with Rich/Ian Hudson on charge downwind taking fourth.

With the heat building the wind swung round to the SW and the classic Solent sea breeze provided the champagne sailing conditions, a small delay ensued due to marks being repositioned. But the efficient race committee got Race 3 underway with little delay. With the tide pushing the race track right to left up the beat people opted to go right to keep in the shallower water to tackle the tidal effect. Simon Horsfield / Gemma Burridge took the bullet with Rob / Sarah taking second, Richard / Ian found their form and took third.

The final race of the day saw the breeze building with a Solent chop building. The start was clean with no recalls and again the fleet opted to go right to stem the tide. With breeze around 15 knots people were feeling the strain but it was all good training prior to the Nationals in 2 weeks' time. Richard /Ian Hudson sailed a brilliant race to take the win, Chris and Gillian Jordan finished in their familiar territory taking second place. Helen / Andrew Phillips took third. Simon Horsfield and Rob Burridge were off the pace and unfortunately had a racing incident at the leeward mark. A protest was lodged and that evening a hearing convened, a normal process for any regatta to which Simon received a DSQ for the incident. Hands were shaken all were friends, testament to the calibre of sailors we have in the 2000 class association.

The club provide a meal in the club house and the fleet retired reasonably early to rest for day 2.

A small breeze greeted the sailors for day 2 and with the first race at 1000hrs sailors arrived rigged and launched with very little time to contemplate the prior days racing. Two races were sailed. Simon Horsfield / Gemma Burridge took back to back wins with Rob / Sarah taking second place consecutively.

The final results were Rob and Sarah Burridge taking the overall regatta win, despite Simon Horsfield and Gemma Burridge carrying a DSQ they managed to secure second place with four wins over the series. Richard / Ian Hudson secured third place.

Rooster Sailing sponsored the prize-giving with the winners all receiving Rooster products.

A fantastic event delivered by Lee on the Solent Sailing Club, to which was made better by the calibre of the 2000 sailor. Healthy competition was had on the water, and even when a protest was lodged it was all handled in a friendly manner, testament again to the individuals we have in the class.

This was a great event to put the final preparations in place for the 2000 Nationals at Royal Torbay Yacht Club, Torquay in 2 weeks' time, starting on the 4th August. Looking forward to seeing old and new 2000 sailors attending, sailing the 2000 dinghy: 'Probably the best entry level family performance asymmetric dinghy in the world'!

Overall Results: