Ullswater Yacht Club Asymmetric Weekend
by Sue Giles 22 Oct 11:49 BST
20-21 October 2018
VX One Inlands winner Nathan Batchelor during the Ullswater Asymmetric Weekend © Tim Olin /
www.olinphoto.co.uk
Ullswater Yacht Club ended its open weekend season on a high with two days of exciting racing for asymmetric classes on October 20 and 21.
A total of 23 boats took part in Asymmetric Weekend, 10 VX Ones, it was their Inland Championships, and a 13-strong ACH fleet with a range of boats from 49ers to RS100s.
In the brisk South-westerly winds on Saturday, race officer Graham Priestley and his team set a course with the start line in front of the clubhouse and the windward mark down the lake, round the corner from the club. There were two starts, one for the VX Ones and an ACH fleet and they all sailed four races in freshening winds, with a vicious squall hitting the fleet during the final race, keeping the safety boats busy.
The spectators from the shore enjoyed watching for spinnakers to appear round the corner and in the VX One fleet, the yellow kite of Nathan Batchelor of Tynemouth SC, crewed by Ben Hawkins and Richard Watson was up there most of the time, winning three races. The other VX One race winner was Simon Hawkes and Paul Birbeck of Castle Cove SC.
In the ACH fleet, Jono Shelley of UYC in an Musto Skiff, was the overnight leader with two firsts and two seconds, closely followed by Matty and James Lyons of UYC in a 49er who were winners of the other two races.
Sunday brought threatening black clouds, a beautiful rainbow and such strong gusts that the start of the racing was delayed while the conditions settled.
The VX Ones completed two races and a first and a second were enough for Nathan Batchelor to clinch the event. Hawkes/Birbeck also came first and second, taking second place overall. The ACH fleet sailed just one race, and by coming first, Jono Shelley was the overall winner.
Seven races had been scheduled, but the wind shifted dramatically to the north, requiring a complete change of course, and the race officers reckoned everyone had done enough swimming and called it a day.
But UYC is not calling it a day, just yet... Sunday, October 28 sees the start of the November series which is open to all. The series will be held on five Sundays, ending on November 25 with three ACH races starting at 11am. There is already strong support for the series from classes including Flying Fifteens and VX Ones. Contact Jon Abbatt, for details.
Asymmetric Weekend winners:
VX One Inlands
1. Nathan Batchelor, Ben Hawkins & Richard Watson, Tynemouth SC, 6pts
2. Simon Hawkes & Paul Birbeck, Castle Cove SC, 10pts
3. Neal Piper, Dave Shilling & Mel Landermore, Tynemouth SC, 16pts
ACH
1. Jono Shelley, Musto Skiff, UYC, 5pts
2. Matty & James Lyons, 49er, UYC, 9pts
3. Josh Moran, Musto Skiff, UYC, 15pts