Inland Championship 2010 - Alton Water Sports Centre

Reports & Results
1st/2nd May

Saturday proved to be one of those days best spent in the pub with a very light North Westerly being alternately boosted and killed by the clouds. North Westerly is really incorrect, flicking between West and North is more accurate. After a brief drift the fleet retired to shore for an early lunch to let the wind settle. Race 1 got underway in a light breeze which held for nearly a lap. Dusty Miller and John Ellingham (1558) lead from the off keeping the boat moving and spotting the wind and dead patches well. John and Olive Glasspool (1537) and Dave Hearsum and Gareth Fay (1574) were seldom far from each other, but it was John Weedon and Paul Jarvey (1545) who sat tight on the last triangle and sailed to a magnificent second place from Dusty and John in first. With the wind getting more unreliable as the day wore on racing was postponed hoping the wind forecast for Sunday would materialise.

The fleet descended on one of Stutton’s local hostelries on Saturday evening where a good time was had by all and local beverages were suitably sampled.

For once the weather forecast was right, lots of wind and for good measure lots of rain. Four races of varying length took place in a Northerly force 4 with some very interesting gusts, being a Northerly the wind blew across the lake and created some very shifty and tricky conditions at the windward mark. Reaches were fast and furious. An intriguing battle developed for second, third and fourth position, John and Olive sailed a superbly controlled second race coming second despite leaving the spinnaker in the chute, Dave and Gareth showed blistering pace at times and Steven Worf and Issy Fay (1511) steadily became more consistent as the day wore on. But it was Dusty and John who sailed a perfect series of five races with five first places to take the Inland Crown.

With conditions becoming more gusty as the day progressed we had our share of spectacular capsizes. Jo and Sue Glasspool (1546) were particularly spectacular. Jo completing the exhibition by entering the icy water head first as she narrowly missed making a dry shod capsize.

Gavin Johnson, Alton Water Sports Centre.

Saturday 1st May saw a sunny day with light winds, causing the race office a few headaches. As the fleet hit the water the wind died away, leaving the fleet sat around on the water until it was decided to have an early lunch in the hope that the wind would fill in. After lunch and more delays the race office managed to get us away. Dusty Miller and John Ellingham in 1558 led the way with John and Olive Glasspool in 1537 followed by Dave Hearsum and Gareth Fay in 1574 on their heels, the remaining fleet drifting behind. By the end of the race 1537 and 1574 lost the wind at the bottom mark allowing John Weedon and Paul Jarvey in 1545 to slip past to take second place, 1574 regained enough wind to take 3rd just ahead of Steven Worf and Issy Fay in 1511 taking fourth place. As the wind did not build again the racing was abandoned for the remainder of the day.

The planned evening BBQ was also abandoned and the fleet were to be found taking sustenance at the local hostelry.

Sunday 2nd May dawned with the wind blowing force 4 to 5 and raining. The racing got under way in these tricky conditions as the wind was shifting as much as 15 degrees in the gusts. Race 2 and 3 saw 1558 again showing a clean pair of heels to the rest of the fleet, 1537 and 1574 sharing the next two positions over these two races and 1511 coming 4th after some close racing with the two boats ahead.

After lunch the fleet launched, with the wind increasing there were a few capsizes and gear problems resulting in some of the fleet returning to shore. 1558 still dominated the racing and 1511 came in 2nd, after 1574 had gear failure on the first beat they came in 3rd. Race 5 was again won by 1558 with 1511 coming in 2nd after overtaking 1574 at the gybe mark while they were checking that the water temperature was the same as the air temperature.

At prize giving the race officer commented on the very wide grin Issy Fay had on her face through out racing – was this because she was enjoying herself so much or because she had beaten her husband on two occasions!!!!!!

Steve Worf