Albacore Northern Championship at Scaling Dam Sailing Club

Albacore Northerns at Scaling Dam © SDSC

The Albacore Northern Area Championship was held at Scaling Dam SC over the weekend of 16/17th September. Autumn had definitely arrived on Saturday, with low cloud clearing by 10am, a gusty shifty northerly breeze and rain in the air.

The first race set the pattern for the weekend with the first three places being hotly contested by Mike MacNamara and Colin Gardiner from Covenham SC, Nathan Batchelor and Richard Watson from Tynemouth SC and Judy and Paul Armstrong from Scaling Dam SC. The slightest error was causing instant place changes, right throughout the fleet, it was Armstrong's taking the win with Mike Mac second and Nathan third.

After a short break for lunch it was more of the same. This time Nathan taking the win in style with Mike Mac second and Judy third.

Race three saw a slight change in course and a fresh face in the top three. Mike Mac took the win having sailed a faultless race with Peter Snowdon, crewed by Lewis Fowler, just hanging on to take second from Judy and Paul in third.

So, after three it was the ever consistent Mike Mac with the overnight lead, Armstrong's second and Nathan third.

A great BBQ and an evening of World Cup Rugby finished the day off perfectly. Massive thanks to Judy and Paul for the catering...

Sunday morning saw a change in wind direction, to the east, making longer beats possible. A trapezoid course was set and, as hard as we might try, the same three boats battled for the top places.

This time Nathan got the win with Judy and Paul second and Mike Mac picking up his discard in third place! With one race to go the top three were all tied on 9 points.......

A course change for the last race brought a couple more reaches into play, with the same result at the front. Mike Mac first, Judy second and Nathan third.

So the Master did it again, Mike and Colin Northern Area Champions, Nathan and Richard second and Judy and Paul third.

A huge thank-you to Andy and Sam Young and their team for running the racing.

Special mention to Matt and Heather Thompson who spent the weekend destroying their adjustable rigging and claiming the only DNC of the weekend.

Overall Results: