Contender Open at Yorkshire Dales Sailing Club

Yorkshire Dales Contender Open © YDSC Committee Boat

Superb weather greeted the seventeen Contenders attending the Open Meeting at Yorkshire Dales Sailing Club over the weekend of 10th & 11th May. The forecast for the two days was good with the promise of slightly more breeze on Sunday.

Race one started in a moderate southerly with the beat towards the corner of the dam wall. Richard Buttner(RNSA) Pete Snowdon(Scaling Dam SC) were the early arrivals at the windward mark, Tom Hooton (Burton SC) went on to take the win with Pete Snowdon second. The shifty conditions meant big gains and losses could be made on every tack but it was Mike Rhodes (Scaling Dam SC) who came through to take third spot. Moment of the race: Rob Smith (CastleCove SC) made his way comfortably to the front only to sail the wrong course on the last lap and let four boats past.

Race two, same course and the same gusty shifty conditions, saw Pete Snowdon first at the top mark. Again Tom Hooton made his way to the front with Rob Smith second and Mike Rhodes claiming his second third place of the day having led the race for one lap.

Race three on the same course was compromised somewhat with a shift to the east soon after the start. Boats that had gone left on the first beat made good gains.

Tom first, David Davies (Loch Ryan) second and Pete Snowdon third. Rob Smith led comfortably at the last mark but managed to fall into windward and let three boats through before the line. (Must have run over a black cat on the way to the club...). So Tom with three bullets led overnight when it really should have been Rob Smith.

Yorkshire Dales Contender Open - photo © YDSC Committee Boat

An awesome curry provided by the club was enjoyed by all, and after a couple of beers everyone had an early night.

Sunday dawned sunny and warm but the forecast breeze never really materialised. The easterly breeze gave the race officer the chance to set a longer beat with reaches back downwind.

Race four saw Rob Smith sail a faultless race to win in style with Pete Snowdon second and Tom Hooton third.

Yorkshire Dales Contender Open - photo © YDSC Committee Boat

Race five and again it was Pete Snowdon and Ben Holden (Halifax SC) rounding together and a bunch of five boats very close behind. Pete gradually pulled away to open a sizeable lead which was all but swallowed up by Mick Pullen (YDSC) as Pete wallowed down the last three reaches. Pete first, Mick second and Ben third.

Last race and all to play for. Rob Smith was fast off the line, leading at the first mark and never challenged. Bill Hooton (Burton SC) good first beat and went on to a comfortable second place. Mick Pullen a solid third guaranteeing him local bragging rights.

Junior prize went to Cillian Dyne (Notts County SC). Definitely one to watch for the future and ruffled some of the older feathers in the fleet during the weekend.

Yorkshire Dales Contender Open Prize Winners - photo © Richard Butner

All in all a great weekend's sailing in the most beautiful of surroundings and with the best of friends. Food was fab all weekend and the race officer did a great job in less than ideal wind conditions.

Picture at prize-giving left to right Cillian Dyne (Junior), Rob Smith, Tom Hooton, Peter Snowdon. Thanks to Kingfisher Yacht Ropes for the supply of caps!

Overall Results: