Regatta Weekend 2017 – the Tequila Sunrise
After a short postponement for an early lunch due to lack of wind, the early morning drizzle lifted and Saturday racing got underway in a shifting 8 knot SW breeze came in to give a good first days’ racing.
In the Laser fleet, Howard Green got off to a flying start to win 2 tight races. Stuart Belfield was in hot pursuit all day and sealed a win in the last race of the day with Mike Baldwin coming 3rd overall after consistent results and having led most of race 1.
The Handicap fleet was dominated by the Miracle of Dave & Rebecca Southwell and Mark Cuthbert’s Supernova. Steve Dawson finished a close 3rd in his Phantom.
In the Asymmetrics, it was a tough day for the crews going round the cans on tight reaches. This seemed to suit the 200s of Louise McKeand and Vanessa Evans, and Gareth & Jen Williams, however victory went to Richard Catchpole and Gary Coop in their 400 after getting away in clear wind on the first beats.
Louise Bridgeman, one of our newly trained junior sailors, did very well in the conditions to finish two races for her trophy.
The famous bottle race on Saturday evening was won by Chris Williams, “sponsored by” Martin Spencer despite a spectacular capsize – it was said the boat went faster upside-down than the right way up! This was followed by a band, BBQ and drinks at the bar. Once the band had packed up the Tequila came out and shot were consumed all round until the early hours – a few sore heads were noted on Sunday morning.
The sun rose clear on Sunday and the Tequila seemed to have made little difference to the leaders of both the Laser and Asymmetric fleets as they defied the effects to win again. This time Howard Green in the Lasers was followed again by Stuart Belfield but with Drew Gibbons making quick work in his 4.7 to finish 3rd overall with all top 3 results.
Mark Cuthbert led the Handicap fleet once again, but with new competition in the form of Martin Tubb’s Solution and Brian Sprague’s Solo taking 2nd and 3rd.
John Bridgeman returned from NW Junior Traveller duties the day before to take the Junior Trophy.
In the Asymmetric fleet a battle royale was taking place for 2nd place, with jousting on their windward-leeway course in up to 15 knots of breeze. The 400s and 200s were close on handicap and overall places were up for grabs until the finish. Paul & Bronwyn Ridgeway edged out Mark Dingsdale and Vanessa Evans for 2nd place.
Richard Catchpole and Gary Coop wrapped up a clean sweep in the Asymmetric fleet to claim 1st place and take the John Barnes Plate for the lowest total points of the weekend.
An excellent weekend’s racing in sparkling sunshine conditions.
