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2007
Kestrel open meeting Nineteen Kestrels gathered on the River Blackwater at Goldhanger Sailing Club for the annual open. Race one started with the tide in a steady Force 4. The leading bunch of Richmond/Richards, Hearsum/Fay, Miller/Ellingham and the Jarveys rounded the windward mark and tore off downwind along Osea Island. Richmond broached shortly after hoisting his kite. Hearsum/Fay and the Glasspools kept up without spinnakers until falling into the lee of Osea. Miller/Ellingham sailed low and clear to lead at the next mark, staying ahead to the finish. The Jarveys rounded 2nd to follow, Hearsum/Fay took third. The whole fleet managed to finish despite almost zero visibility during heavy rain. Richmond/Richards took fourth and the Glasspools fifth. Race two followed with wind strengths from Force 2 to 5 and a second rain storm pass through, this time with thunder and lightning in the area. As the front came through with the rain Miller/Ellingham spotted the wind shift whilst the Jarveys and Hearsum/Fay were waiting for the visibility to return, and passed both before the windward mark. The Jarveys regained the lead on the beat next time round. The wind then dropped as the leaders rounded the leeward mark. Hearsum/Fay leapt from third to first and fought off the attacking Miller/Ellingham to win. The Jarveys could only watch the scrap as they came in third. Richmond/Richards took fourth again having lost out in the earlier wind shifts and Pike/Brown-Lee claimed fifth. Sunday started very bright and remained dry as forecast. The wind was also lighter. Race three, The Jarveys rounded the windward mark first as the wind dropped and reached across the river to the next mark, bore away onto the run and virtually stopped against the tide. Miller/Ellingham rounded next followed by Pike/Brown-Lee and the Worfs all choosing to go into the tide hoping to find a stronger breeze. The following pack all headed for slacker water along Osea, but at times sheltered from the wind, the two groups shared the lead. The Jarveys managed to round the leeward mark first and head back to the opposite shore, Pike/Brown-lee slipped through Miller/Ellingham. The Jarveys held the lead to the finish as Miller/Ellingham took up second and the chase, Hearsum/Fay made huge gains downwind following a poor first beat and worked up to third. Pike/Brown-lee finished fourth. Duncan and Callum Wilson had their best result in fifth to cheers from the bank and the boats already finished. The remainder of the fleet crept home in a dying breeze. Three teams were in the running to win the event as the breeze returned for the start of race four against the tide. Hearsum/Fay started out in the tide but in enough wind to reach the windward mark first. Miller/Ellingham crept up the bank to round second, taking the lead with slick boat handling round the numerous marks, giving them the event win. Hearsum/Fay swapped places with Pike/Brown-Lee managing to finish second to take second overall, tied on points and equal results with the Jarveys. They worked back to fifth from a poor first beat to take third overall, but Richmond/Richards held them off for their third fourth place and fifth overall. Pike/Brown-Lee improving with each race took fourth overall. Racing was close throughout the fleet with several boats tied on points. Goldhangers hospitality and
setting is second to none making this event a favourite. This years was
no exception providing a full spectrum of wind and weather, if only we
had a camera on the water to capture the fleet with brightly coloured
spinnakers up against the black rain clouds. A great deal of effort goes
into welcoming the fleet to Goldhanger, and we all second Dustys thanks.
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