Snipe open meeting at Bough Beech Sailing Club

Joe Warwicker and Andy Service roll tacking - Snipe open meeting at Bough Beech © Sarah Seddon

21 Snipes took to the water in glorious weather at Bough Beech reservoir on the 4th & 5th July. Teams from Budworth, Blackwater and Cambridge University joined the locals for the 8 races. As usual in the Snipes the socials started Friday evening as many of the fleet turned up early looking forward to the weekend ahead.

Nick Marden, the Race Officer, go the fleet under way for the first start on Saturday on time at 12.00, laying a trapezoid course to make the most of the southern end of the lake. A westerly breeze meant the Force 3, gusting 5 conditions were consistently shifty and spotting the first shift off the start was crucial.

Yohei Koso & Eiichi Higuchi made the best start in the first race, with clear air of the line they were able to tack immediately to make the most of the left hand shift, leading at the windward mark and pulling a substantial lead by the finish. Richard Smith & Louisa Ching, and Mike Warwicker & Kate Fitzsimmons rounded the windward mark second and third but were overhauled by Peter Wolstenholme & Lloyd Roberts and Joe Warwicker & Andy Service who took second and third respectively.

For the second race the top three positions were reversed as the top 3 battled with never more than a few boat lengths between them. A shout out to our two junior teams Harry & George Burgess (who are off to the Junior worlds in Melilla in a couple of weeks) and Jess Welch & Bonnie Marshall finishing fourth and fifth after mixing it at the front throughout the race.

Down the run - Snipe open meeting at Bough Beech - photo © Sarah Seddon

The third race saw Koso/Higuchi back on the top step despite a sudden capsize in a 90+ degree shift which the boats behind only managed not to repeat because they saw what happened ahead. Wolstenholme/Roberts were again second, this time Tim & Kay Tavinor completed the podium. After a general recall which resulted in a U flag for the final two races of the day, Warwicker/Service got back to winning ways in race 4 while a tight battle ensued behind between the next four boats with Matthew Wolstenholme & Freddie Scott coming out in second and the Tavinor's third.

The final race of the day had Warwicker/Service with a marginal lead from Koso/Higuchi at the windward mark, this turned into a match race as they broke away from the fleet with the two boats matching each others tacks and Warwicker/Service maintaining their lead to the finish giving them the overnight lead. The Tavinor's were again third with another strong fourth place for the Burgess'.

A warm pleasant evening greeted the sailors as they came off the water with some more measuring of boats heading to the worlds accompanying the dinner put on by the club galley as the fleet, as usual, staying up into the early hours.

Sunday morning brought a lighter wind, Force 1 gusting 2, still with plenty of big shifts and some large holes now thrown in the mix for good measure. Patrick Sarsfield, today sailing with Casandra Shand, played the shifts best up the first leg of the first race on Sunday rounding the windward mark ahead of Guy Marks & Sam Boniface.

Yohei Koso and Eiichi Higuchi - Snipe open meeting at Bough Beech - photo © Sarah Seddon

Unfortunately Sarsfield/Shand had not realised there was a course change from the previous day and made to go down a run after the first wing mark instead of another reach. Warwicker/Service emerged in the lead by the leeward mark which they just held onto as Koso/Higuchi were hot on their stern by the end of the race.

For race 7, Koso/Higuchi were back in the lead with Wolstenholme/Scott this time in pursuit before they found a large hole, having to sit and watch as much of the fleet sailed over them, Warwicker/Service took the opportunity to move up into second with Marks/Boniface completing the podium.

Going into the final race there was 1 point between the top two boats, Koso/Higuchi had to win to be champions, any other result and it would be Warwicker/Service.

A very close battle ensued between the two boats up the first beat with them again matching each other tack for tack, Koso/Higuchi eventually emerged on top at the windward mark while a traveller issue on the first reach dropped Warwicker/Service down to seventh.

Wolstenholme/Scott emerged as the nearest challengers in second, never far behind but not close enough to make a move until on the final reach into the leeward mark as the wind dropped they closed to within a few boatlengths. Koso/Higuchi were lifted round the mark and were heading straight to the finish line less than 50m ahead but in very little pressure, with what appeared to be very little alternative option for Wolstenholme/Scott behind.

After spotting the boats coming down the reach appearing to have some pressure in their sails, Wolstenholme/Scott chose to split and sail away from the finish line to try and get the pressure first, this worked out perfectly for them as the pressure arrived just in time for them to cross the bow of Koso/Higuchi to win the race and hand the regatta back to Warwicker/Service with four wins to Koso/Higuchi's three.

Huge thanks to the club, Race team and volunteers for hosting us and putting on a fantastic weekend. The Nationals are next on August 7th-9th. Hopefully see you all there!

Joe Warwicker and Andy Service collecting trophies - Snipe open meeting at Bough Beech - photo © Sarah Seddon

Overall Results: