Enterprise Open at Frensham Pond Sailing Club

The Enterprise Open meeting on 9th October, which was the final event of the Thames Valley aggregate trophy, saw a fleet of 7 consisting of 3 visitors and 4 home boats sharing the water with the GP14 Open.

The day did not bode well with early mist and when the mist cleared the air was still but we kept faith and the wind increased as we approached the start for the scheduled start time while the sun appeared.

Conditions picked up very much to those predicted with a usable wind of up to 13, gusting 19, knots varying from SE to S although our surrounding trees added spice by increasing variability with frequent shifts.

The race officer, Paul Schroeder, stuck to schedule with one race before lunch followed by 2 races back-to-back in the afternoon all following the same course.

In the first race both Ann Jackson and Alan Skeens and Katrina Gilbert and Rebecca Videlo got off to a good start with Ann looking good but Katrina soon overhauled them to take the lead which they commanded to the end despite others' best efforts. During the race Paul Young and Jan Kimber seemed to take a while to get warmed up but pulled away from the remainder of the fleet to assert their third position.

Race 2, Katrina Gilbert was over the line at the start which set them back for a while and meant that visitors Hilgard Muller and Chris Brown almost made it first to the first mark but were pipped by Ann Jackson who then took the lead. Later in the first lap however Ann Jackson accepted confirmation from the RO that she had also been a premature starter and decided to retire.

Katrina Gilbert's prowess then showed as she climbed through the field gain another worthy first. This left Paul Young very much on his own to take second as the main juggling for positions was further down the field from regular Frensham boats with Nick Carr and Vicki Hinde coming out best taking third.

In Race 3, with a first place guaranteed and a discard available, Katrina Gilbert and Rebecca Videlo swapped places and still showed the remaining fleet who was tops, despite the best efforts of Paul Young, who took second overall, and the 2 remaining Frensham boats.

Katrina Gilbert and Rebecca Videlo's 2 first places won them the Frensham Packard Cup which unfortunately for Ann Jackson and Alan Skeens deprived them of the win they needed if they were to overtake Martin Davies in this final event in the Thames Valley aggregate trophy.

After the racing many were happy to chat and enjoy the warm sunshine with a convivial tea, this year provided by the galley, and the prize-giving.

Overall Results: