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National Squib Inland Championship at Rutland Sailing Club

by Jack Grogan 15 Oct 2018 21:09 BST 6-7 October 2018
Squib Inlands at Rutland © Malcolm McGregor

Off the back of a very successful National Championship with 100 boats held during Lendy Cowes Week, 39 teams made the yearly trip to Rutland Water for the re-formatted Inlands, which had been changed from the usual five races competed over the weekend to the new format of seven races. The change was put in place to have more races per day in case, as so often in Autumn, the weather does not play ball. This turned out to be a wise decision!

Saturday dawned and it was 15-18knots with drizzle and a definite winter chill in the air. However, the race officer proceeded to start the racing at 10:30am, as promised, and delivered four perfect races only lasting 45 minutes keeping all helms and crews warm enough not to complain.

After four races on the Saturday it was Alan Johnson and Dave Garlick showing that their time away from the class, due to illness, was not hindering them. They lead over night from current national champions Stu Rix and Steve Warren-Smith and with a great performance from Nic Tolhurst and Mel Titmus putting them 1 point further back in third.

Sunday was the opposite of Saturday. The sun was out and wind was absent. The race officer postponed for 30mins to let what looked like a steady 4-5 knots build and managed to get a race started. It was a light beat, but fair. However, as teams rounded the top mark spinnakers began to sag and the race officer felt there was no option but to abandon. With that being the case the championship committee, who feedback the fleet's morale during racing, decided with the forecast of no wind there was little point in hanging around waiting for the inevitable so it was time to head home and crane out, leaving Alan and Dave worthy winners.

A couple of things worth mentioning are; Nic and Mel's very consistent sailing in all conditions very nearly resulted in their first big event win. In the only race started on Sunday they were leading, which with Alan and Dave and Stu and Steve very mid fleet, the championship looked to be their's!

Nigel and Jack Grogan came fourth in the new Rondar boat. It looked to be on the pace but not faster than the current boats, however, of course there are a few gremlins to iron out.

The NSOA needs a mention. As the revised format meant we got that extra race in on Saturday, meaning we all had a discard, which some needed.

Thanks to the race officer and his team for taking on board all the classes feedback and producing four perfect races, which were turned around quickly.

With teams travelling from Wales, Scotland and England, the competition was fierce and as usual in this competitive fleet it's always hard to know whose turn it is to do the winning! In fact there were seven national champions in the top ten!

Overall Results:

PosSail NoBoat NameHelm NameCrew NameClubFleet G/S/BR1R2R3R4Pts
1st132Cariad BachAlan JohnsonDavid GarlickSCYCGold51‑1128
2nd13AquabatStu RixSteve Warren SmithRVYCGold14‑738
3rd868By the LeeNic TolhurstMel TitmusBurnham on CrouchGold‑85319
4th905Helmut HydeingNigel GroganJack GroganRCYCGold‑762412
5th823HumphreyRobert CoyleMarc RawinskyRCYCGold3‑86514
6th52Bacchante VIIJoe HenryRoland WilsonRVYCGold‑1591818
7th136Ric O'SheaDick BattMark HoganSCYCGold210‑23618
8th105Helmut Strong 11Peter MarchantKatie ColeRCYCGold117‑13725
9th96MoonstoneMalcolm BlackburnDavid ShielSCYCGold4‑2214927
10th73BrimstoneBryan RileyJenny RileyWOBYCGold9‑14101029
11th811SpoofMickey WrightAlex PorteousRCYCGold143‑171431
12th805Magic FluteIan AckroydPeter RIchardsSCYCGold16135‑2334
13th819Lady PenelopeMalc HutchingsJaxs HutchingsRCYCGold1012‑191234
14th806NemesisRaymond ApthorpeDuncan GrindleyRCYCSilver616‑201335
15th15Lee DeckMartin HarrisonJulie BatchelorRVYCGold‑2415121138
16th142SquiggleJono BrownDavid BrownRCYCGold(RET)24RET45
17th72Guy FawkesPhil AspinallHowie EnkelRoyal CorinthianGold12249‑2945
18th832WillpowerWill DaviesKevan GibbRoyal Forth YCSilver181116‑2445
19th902Deben BoysAndrew MoorePeter Hallinan Gold‑261882046
20th802FlameRichard SmithJamie Freeman Silver17(DNC)151749
21st754MayhemSteve AllsoGlen PritchardSCYCGold1320‑261851
22nd800AlchemyGerald DysonTony SaltonstallRYYCGold‑3617221655
23rd104WildfireChris HillJames PritchardRDYCSilver251918‑2862
24th872PokMichael HughesGary CatterallSCYCSilver192321‑2663
25th789Dream OnBrian HollandTony SampsonSCYCGold‑3121291565
26th804Squeaky MonkeyRobert LeggettRob FordHaven Port YCSilver21‑28251965
27th595OutlawIan ScottIona MartinRCYCSilver2026‑352773
28th50FirebirdSimon MarfleetStef OosthuysenWOBYCSilver2229‑332273
29th856Second Time AroundPeter DaleJulian SmithRutlandSilver(DNC)25282174
30th842Posh TottyJeremy LittlewoodHeidi WrightHaven Port YCSilver29‑33242578
31st36 Chrs RustJames VeneerPortsmouthSilver23‑36273181
32nd847Lil QuickieRichard RobertsTudor RobertsHSCSilver3227‑343089
33rd5ElectraDavid MellardBed LuddingtonRCYCSilver2731‑323290
34th33IncendioDavid LloydMatt SaltPortsmouthGold283230‑3390
35th736Magic RoundaboutJason PhelpsCarl AndersonRCYCSilver303031‑3491
36th40RubyDavid CannellAshley HendronWaldringfieldSilver3335‑3735103
37th765PopsTrevor WrightDavid CraigHaven Port YCSilver3534‑3636105
38th745InachusRicky EastGill LambWaldringfieldSilver3437(DNC)DNC110

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