The ONE Bassenthwaite Lake Sailing Week - Overall
by Mik Chappell 15 Aug 07:54 BST
4-12 August 2018
Well that's "Bassweek" over for another year! It was one of the more successful ones with the generally fine weather and the high (for the north!) temperatures helping considerably. Some might argue that the winds throughout were too light but that didn't prevent some excellent racing. It also minimised damage to craft although there were the usual raft of protests overseen by the RYA's Eddie Ramsden.
There was fleet racing on each of the midweek days and in the final weekend series. In the Fast Handicap Fleet the RS400 of Paul & Jude Allen (Bass) took 3 race or final series wins and the 400 of Mark Somerville / Joe Roberts (Bass), the Icon of Russell Lutwyche / Nathan King (Chase) and the RS100 of Peter Mackin (Bolton) one each.
Neil Platt (Bass) won all the midweek Flying Fifteen fleet races mainly with David Lawson crewing but once with Sally Roberts. Mike Moore / Kayla Sheard took the weekend series.
In the RS200 Fleet there were three wins for Robin & Erin Dawson and one apiece for Dave & Charlie Exley, Alex & Olivia Leonard and Phil & Naomi Smith. The GP14 wins were widely spread with two for Mike Fairlamb / Eric Smith and one each for Paul & Vicky Bowmer, Joan Hardie/ Eric Smith and David & Lynn Lawson. (All in these fleets were entered under Bass).
The Medium Handicap Fleet saw three wins for the Phantom of Ed Thomas (Pilkington), two for the Wayfarer of Mike Weighill / Carl Martin (Swarkestone) and the final one to Sam McKay (Swarkestone) in a Supernova. In the Lasers Eleanor Craig (Draycote Water) dominated with four wins, with one each for Simon Weatherspoon (South shields) and Peter Whipp (Bass).
Steve Blackburn / Royston Taggart (West Lancs) were the most successful pairing in the Enterprises with four wins with one each for Dave Beaney / Alison White (Wembley) and Alan Baker / Gil Kincaid (Tynemouth). In the Solos Tim Hand (Swarkestone) and Steve Thomas (Rudyard Lake) took two wins apiece, and Kevin Bilham (Ely) and Luke Shaw (Budworth) one each.
In the Slow Handicap Fleet Chris & Chloe Parker (Southport) were dominant their Graduate winning all their races. In the Mirror & Topper & Tera Fleet all wins went to Mirrors. Graham & Sebastian Vials (Derwent Reservoir) and Phil & Oliver Smith (Bass) took two wins apiece and there were one each for Fiona & George Spence (Ripon) and Andy Smith (Bass) with daughters Katia & Lily crewing races during the final series.
In Friday's Ladies, Juniors and Seniors Race the winners were all sailing Lasers. The Ladies went to Eleanor Craig (Draycote Water), the Juniors to Alastair Rimmer (Southport) and the seniors to Jonathan Hansworth (Swarkestone).
The two Pursuit Races were each 100 minutes from the first start with a reverse moving finish line. They had 84 and 64 starters respectively. The light conditions suited the Mirrors. In Tuesday's race Graham & Sebastian Vials (DRSC) took the win from Sandy & Douglas Simpson (Bass). Chris & Chloe Parker's (Southport) were third in their Graduate, Alan Jones / Phil Hodgkins (Bass) were fourth in a GP14 and yet another Mirror, that of Jonathan & Henry Bullen (Bass) were fifth.
On Thursday the Mirrors went one better taking the top three spots! Rob & Elizabeth Cook (Northampton) won with the Simpson Brothers again second but this time the Bullens took the final podium position. Tim hand's Solo was fourth and Ed Thomas' Phantom fifth.
More information and full results can be found on the The ONE Bassenthwaite Lake Sailing Week website.