LOMO Blaze Inland Championship 2025 at Bala Sailing Club

LOMO Blaze Inland Championship at Bala © John Hunter

The LOMO Blaze Inland Championship event remains a fitting send-off to the Blaze season and in recent years has likewise played final fiddle to the Blaze Traveller Series.

2025 has been a competitive season for the class with a propensity to travel by the racing front-runners being a noticeable feature. From battling the winds at Pevensey Bay's Nationals to high-stakes hussle in Helensburgh for the Scottish Champs and Nations Cup, we've seen quality racing from a spirited fleet.

For this year's finale, the class returns to a historical Blaze venue - Bala SC - last visited in 2017. We're delighted to be back to enjoy the beautiful surroundings and the ever warm welcome of the club, to be appreciated by a new generation of Blaze sailors.

LOMO Blaze Inland Championship at Bala - photo © John Hunter

LOMO Watersports once again anoint the Blaze Class with their continuing Inlands sponsorship, and present another trove of prize goodies, featuring their superbly appropriate 'Blaze Expeditions Holdalls'. Many thanks to LOMO for their generous support and superb sailing kit.

The lead-up to the event was a mixed state of affairs. The forecast two weeks out was dire - very little wind both days - almost zero for Sunday. The couple of days before showed a little breeze coming in on Saturday but still nothing sailable for Sunday. This had made for a poor turnout on the entries roster by Blaze standards - 17 boats entered. We had hoped-beyond-hope for the last-minute surge that we'd experienced emphatically at last year's Inlands, but the forecast - as it was - kept the weather-watchers firmly on the sofa.

As it transpired, that was a mistake.

LOMO Blaze Inland Championship at Bala - photo © John Hunter

Friday evening saw the local pub populated by the majority of the travelling fleet and we enjoyed standard pub fayre washed down with some training beer.

Come Saturday morning, there was a promising breeze building and the latest forecast showed 5 - 21kts. Although the northerly direction wasn't ideal, spilling over the hills creating very shifty conditions, we enjoyed a decent strength of wind for the day at the top end of the forecast.

A trapezoidal course was laid with nice angles by RO and Bala SC organiser, Mike Allen. Although challenging with the wind shifts awkward holes, the racing was bang on.

LOMO Blaze Inland Championship at Bala - photo © John Hunter

Christian Smart reports on the racing...

I've sailed at Bala quite a bit and knew this wind direction could offer a challenge... and it sure did - very gusty and shifty!! Absolutely brilliant!

Race 1

With about 2mins to go before first start the wind shifted to make a massive pin end basis. Julian Owens (870), Christian Smart in a loaned boat (Sail #86) and Alan Harris (848) were all wise to it and Alan nabbed the pin. And to be fair, he never looked back.Some great racing just behind with the aforementioned few, plus Scottish (but honorary Englishman) Douglas Clow (777).

Race 2

The wind was up but the line was pretty square so the start was nicely spread. Douglas was flying, hitting the start fast and taking the right-hand side early to lead the fleet. David Shafto (864), Andy Wilson (811) and Peter Barlow (875) were all in the mix along with Julian and Christian.

Alan had a poor start back in the 2nd row, so had it all to do on the first beat.

Doug continued to pull clear and had carved a solid 50m lead by the windward mark after a brilliantly executed first beat. Now it was time to go downhill with at least 2 gybes in some blummin' massive gusts - Chris's usual signal to light the afterburners being the lightest in the fleet at 69KG.

Doug lead until the final gybe at mark 3 with Chris now right alongside. Doug bottled the gybe in the midst of a surprise gust, opting for wearing the mark instead (earning him the Pink Flamingo honours on the evening). Chris stole the opportunity, gybed flat out and, lucky to survive a bit of a wobble, held on. He and was never caught again.

Doug strived but ultimately didn't have the legs to fend off a typically relentless Alan who came through to clinch second.

LOMO Blaze Inland Championship at Bala - photo © John Hunter

Race 3

Another clean start in breezy conditions and Alan was off again with his impressive upwind speed in good wind.

David, Julian and Pete were going well too and evidently having fun upwind. Mike Bell (840) was on form, alongside Chris and Doug, all in the mix.

Alan stayed ahead the whole race while Chris pulled through into 2nd. Some mistakes around the course had seen Doug and Pete drop back which gave a well-earned 3rd place to Dave. Julian scored his third 4th of the day."

Saturday evening was BBQ time - a filling feast laid on by Bala SC and the beer flowed, as usual. Some moved on later to a local pub and continued 'celebrating' into the small hours, somewhat cajoled (all Chris's work!) into imbibing more than was necessary. A short stumble back to local digs in the town for most of us was welcome.

LOMO Blaze Inland Championship at Bala - photo © John Hunter

Sunday morning was misty enough to screen the far bank of the lake. And the air was still - very still.

With local knowledge, Mike appeared quietly confident. The race team made their optimistic preparations and the fleet rigged in defiance of the stillness.

By 11:30 we'd agreed to make the call to scrap the racing at midday. At 11:50 the waters rippled from the west - a precursory sign of a favoured westerly breeze - and Mike gave his vindicated nod to mobilise.

The remaining two races saw a steady 5-8kts which was pleasantly raceable and the challenge up at the front was tight. A 'reverse P' course was set, again with spot-on angles.

LOMO Blaze Inland Championship at Bala - photo © John Hunter

Christian Smart continues the racing report...

Race 4

There were still some surprises to be had in relation to the wind. There were some light patches and some good shifts to look out for.

Chris went straight off to the right from the committee boat end and had pace, crossing the fleet when he tacked-in about two thirds up the beat. But he'd tacked too early and those staying right had found themselves a nice lift right into the windward mark. Alan and Doug were up there, chased by Chris along with some fresh faces in these different conditions, Andy Whitcher (868), Rob Staines (815) and "The Doctor" Pete McFarlane (763) all well up.

Alan lead to the leeward mark with Doug, Chris and Andy Whitcher in pursuit. A tactical 2nd beat helped Chris get through to the front and Andy Whitcher cruised into a superb 2nd spot with Alan 3rd and Doug 4th.

Andy Witcher held his place into the last mark where Alan tactically forced Andy out on Starboard until he was ready to gybe to the finish; class!

Andy can still be proud of his 3rd, holding the ever-dogged Doug to 4th. Class newcomer, Rob, did brilliantly to get his best result of 5th.

LOMO Blaze Inland Championship at Bala - photo © John Hunter

Race 5

The Travellers Series had already been secured by Alan but with he and Chris both boasting a pair of regatta firsts and seconds, Chris still had legitimate Championship hopes on the last race.

Chris was nonchalantly hanging around the committee boat and with about 30 seconds to go, Alan made his move to steal prime position on the line. Chris feigned a dip to go below and Alan took the bait. Chris immediately snatched-up and seized the committee boat spot at the gun. All Chris had to do now was try and be as fast as Alan upwind as the wind had filled in a bit more.

But, hang on, who's that crossing the whole fleet on port?!! It's Mike Bell again, reliving his sneaky brilliance of last year's Inlands. What a flyer! Mike continued to lead all the way to the windward mark.

Everyone else was figuring out which way was quickest - some made ground, others lost lots. Alan took the win ahead of Chris with the familiar sails of Julian and Doug holding off the rest of the fleet."

And so it came to pass; Alan wins his first LOMO Blaze Inland Championship and with it his first Traveller Series Title.

Bravo Alan!

LOMO Blaze Inland Championship at Bala - photo © John Hunter

The fleet enjoyed a jolly prize-giving - the LOMO goodies well-received, of course, alongside BCAs own contribution, followed by a swift departure thereafter due to a late finish and long drive home for most.

Great racing - in the end - in beautiful surroundings. Bala SC were excellent hosts and had certainly re-established themselves as a go-to Blaze venue.

The Class extends warm thanks to the whole superb Bala SC crew; Commodore Rob Slogget, Sheila and her flawless catering team, the 8-strong safety crew who'd grappled with the 140ft deep mark-laying, committee boat team and all water and landside support. And with grateful thanks to John Hunter for the photography.

Alan takes the Blaze Inlands trophy back home to Cornwall. LOMO Blaze Exhibition Holdalls were snaffled by 1st to 3rd and also by Endeavour and Polyester categories to reward effort down the fleet. The remaining prize table booty of gloves, dry bags, phone cases and more made sure no-one went home empty handed.

LOMO Blaze Inland Championship at Bala - photo © John Hunter

Overall Results:

1st Master - Christian Smart (Pembrokeshire YC)
1st Grand Master - Doulas Clow (Island Barn Reservoir SC)
1st Great Grand Master - Peter Barlow (Burghfield SC)
1st Polyester - Rob Staines (Porthpean SC)

John Abbott mid-fleet - Mike Bell (Burghfield SC)
Endeavour - Ian Ramsay (Bala SC)
Best Improver - Peter Barlow (Burghfield SC)
D**k of the Day - Douglas Clow for wearing the mark while in the lead

LOMO Blaze Inland Championship at Bala - photo © John Hunter