Dart 15 TT & Northern Championship at Carsington Sailing Club

Ten Dart 15 travellers were welcomed by three home sailors to Carsington Sailing Club on a glorious autumn day and with the sun shining, warm temperatures and moderate breeze, the Derbyshire Dales / reservoir vista was looking superb - hard to imagine the change in weather fortunes over the course of the regatta.

The nationally regarded home club race management team of PRO Henry Wright and ARO's Keith & Liz Appleby were joined by Matthew Stephenson, a local sailor and budding race officer who was keen to learn the craft of running a slick event. The team on the committee boat were ably assisted by the mark laying/safety team of Murray Leiper, John Cunningham and Ceri Knapgate setting a trapezoidal course for both days of racing.

Dart 15 TT & Northern Championships at Carsington - photo © Pauline Love

On Saturday, Race 1 was scheduled for 1pm. With a breeze of around 14 knots gusting 23 knots, the fleet got away with a clean start. The front runners comprised defending Northern Champion Jason Clarke (Marconi SC), Liam Thom (Shanklin SC) and Jenny Ball (Marconi SC) battling their way up the beat in the strong shifting breeze closely followed by new visitor to Carsington, Chris Clarke (Marconi SC) and local sailor George Love going well. The approach to the windward mark required some seamanship as the strong shifting breeze and sometimes no breeze made rounding this mark tricky to say the least! Over the course of the next four laps places were traded like snakes and ladders throughout the whole fleet. If you could pick the wind shift and successfully round the windward mark then you could make massive gains. Equally you could be unlucky and see several places change place on the long beat. Jason went on to take the win from Jenny with Liam finishing third.

Dart 15 TT & Northern Championships at Carsington - photo © Pauline Love

Race 2 and the course was quickly reset as the breeze which started to come round from the north to the north east with Henry Wright moving the windward mark nearer the shore just to make rounding this mark even more precarious! Another clean start and front runner Scott Wilcox (Stewartby SC) was sailing well, picking the shifts and closely followed by Jenny & George. Our first swimmer of the regatta appeared, namely David Clarke (Marconi SC) who decided to tack for the windward mark in the middle of a very strong gust. However, he soon got his steed upright and battled back strongly to take 11th position. Mid fleet Jon Pearse (Marconi SC), Yvonne Pike (Shanklin SC), Martin Smith (Draycote Water SC) and Ray Gall (Carsington SC) were trading places over the next four laps. Yvonne was particularly unlucky when just about to round the fourth mark, a massive gust made her violently turn up to wind missing and almost taking out the large orange mark which cost her several places. Meanwhile local sailor Sam Wood (Carsington) thought he had bagged a good finish only to learn that the keen eyes of PRO Henry had seen him miss the gate and thus score a DNF. It pays to read the sailing instructions! The win was taken by Jenny with Scott sailing superbly well to grab second closely followed by George.

Dart 15 TT & Northern Championships at Carsington - photo © Pauline Love

Race 3 got under way after a quick turn around. Slightly less breeze saw Jason, Liam and Jenny lead the charge up the first beat but on lap 2 this race was abandoned by CSC management due to a weather forecast update threatening severe thunderstorms which didn't seem likely at the time of sailing back to shore. But within one hour we were treated to a spectacular five hour plus pyrotechnic display which went on over dinner / drinks and sleep time plus a monsoon to boot. We awoke next morning to driving rain, the breeze had picked up 16 knots gusting 26 knots and very overcast. The other side of the reservoir was barely visible.

Race 3 re-run, Sunday morning and only nine Dart 15s decided to compete in what were very threatening conditions. Henry set a similar trapezoidal course and soon had us on our way. Another clean start saw the flying machine of Jason head the field with Jenny, Jon & Liam in hot pursuit. The breeze, although stronger and more treacherous, was thankfully not so shifty. Meanwhile in the midfield pack Chris, Jemma Clarke (Marconi), Scott, David & Ray were trading places and having their own battle royal. Jason built up a commanding lead and was never to be headed taking his second win from Jon and closely followed by Jenny.

Dart 15 TT & Northern Championships at Carsington - photo © Pauline Love

Race 4 and with no let up with the weather conditions, Henry soon adjusted the course and had us on our way. Once again Jason was flying and trying to make up ground. Jon was bearing away going for maximum speed with Liam Scott and Chris chasing hard. Jason rounded the windward mark first with the hard chasing Jon at the gybe mark going down in an eruption of spray to be our second swimmer of the weekend. Jon retired from this race which now left Jenny, Liam and Chris chasing the flying Jason. Meanwhile mid fleet David, Scott, Ray and Jemma were having fun trying to get the best of each other but on lap three Jemma became our third swimmer going down on the reach whilst approaching mark four after she was hit by a savage gust and retired from the race. Jason took his third win from Jenny and Liam with Chris a close fourth.

Race 5 saw no let up in the conditions and after fast turn around it was the flying Jason who straight from the gun took the lead and rounded the windward mark first. Jon recovered from his capsize was chasing hard with Jenny, Chris and Scott in close contention. The shifting breeze had returned making picking the course up the beat precarious but Jason navigated this well over the four lap race and extended his lead to take his fourth win of the regatta from Jenny, Liam and a very close fourth finish from Jon.

Dart 15 TT & Northern Championships at Carsington - photo © Pauline Love

Race 6 and, mercifully, the strong breeze / gusts started to diminish but in its place came lighter but very variable breeze. Another clean start saw Liam, Jenny, Jason tacking their way up the first beat navigating through treacherous wind shifts, closely followed by Scott, Jon, Chris and David. Jason made up ground and once again led the race. As the breeze moved around making the course very difficult Henry finished this race after two laps. Jason sailing tremendously well taking his fifth win of the series from Liam, Jenny and Scott in fourth place.

A prize-giving in the clubhouse recognised the top finishers with congratulations to Jason Clarke on a stellar performance to retain his Northern Championship title. And also sailing superbly well, 2nd Jenny Ball, 3rd Liam Thom.

Overall Results: