Catapult TT at Grafham Water Sailing Club
by Stuart Ede 25 Oct 2006 11:45 BST
21-22 October 2006
Paul Ellis clinched the Catapult 2006 TT Series with a victory at Grafham © Peter Newton
The 2006 Series came to a thrilling climax at the Grafham Cat Open on 21-22 October. Paul Ellis’s string of six wins at the Carsington Cat Open had put him on equal points with Alastair Forrest, and everything was to play for.
Ellis started strongly with a win in the first race, while Forrest was pushed down to fourth after a fierce battle with Gareth Ede and father Stuart. The positions were reversed in Race 2 when Ellis made a poor start, and Forrest just managed to hold off Gareth Ede by a couple of boat lengths to take first place. Ellis was back at the front again in Race 3, and Stuart Ede held off son Gareth to take second, while Forrest languished in fourth. Ellis was not only first Catapult in that race, but also winner of the Medium Handicap fleet.
Day 2 saw Gareth Ede taking control. He overtook Ellis upwind in Race 4 and lengthened his lead to win, while Forrest came third. Stuart Ede looked to be well ahead after a port tack flyer across the fleet in Race 5, but his and Gareth’s good work was undone when they went too far right and encountered a windbreak of asymmetric cats. Gareth fought back to catch Forrest, but Ellis got away for his third win. Stuart Ede led around the first lap of Race 6, before Gareth and then Ellis got past to take first and second places, respectively.
Ellis’s victory at Grafham not only clinched the title of 2006 TT champion but also earned him fifth prize in the Cat Open’s Medium Handicap Fleet.
Grafham TT Results:
1st Paul Ellis, 5pts
2nd Gareth Ede (Filey SC), 6pts
3rd Alastair Forrest, 11pts
4th Stuart Ede (Filey SC), 11pts
5th Nigel Harrison, 20pts
2006 TT Series results:
1st Paul Ellis, 27pts
2nd Alastair Forrest, 30pts
3rd Stuart Ede (Filey SC), 90pts
4th Fred Woodley (Emberton Park SC), 115pts
5th Nigel Harrison, 117pts