2009 Kestrel South Western Championship - Calshot Sailing Club

Report & Results
22nd/23rd August

The Open competitors arrived to an over cast sky and no wind but by the time it was time to get on the water the sky cleared and the wind started building to a force 3. With a beat along the shore to the first mark, Dusty Miller & John Ellingham in 1558 rounded the first mark, followed by Steven & Lin Worf in 1511 (local knowledge was muttered for this position as 1511 came in from off shore) next round was Dave Hearsum & Gareth Fay in 1574. The rest of the fleet followed round in tight succession. After some place changing happening through the fleet the placings at the finish were 1st 1558 followed by 1574 and then 1511.

Race 2 had the fleet spread along the start line with the course being altered to make a more interesting last tight spinnaker reach. With 1558 disappearing into the distance 1574 having got a comfortable lead over third place 1511, this was not the same between 1511 and 1572, sailed by Brian Deacon & Karen Hall, with them managing to get within a few boat lengths of 1511. Neil Cummins & Kath Skillern in 1566 getting the better of Kevin & Haydn Edwins in this race.

With the BBQ being cooked and eaten in the evening sunshine and also being able to watch, with the help of a set of binoculars, the Morris Dancers on the Brambles Bank in the middle of the Solent made for a pleasant evening.

Race 3 on the Sunday saw the fleet once again beating up the shore line to the first mark, 1574 in the lead followed by 1558 with the first two boats heading towards the wrong mark, on realising their mistake 1574 then 1558 managed to hold onto their lead just ahead of 1511. 1558 overtook 1574 on the next beat. At the finish the order was 1558, 1574, 1511, 1572, 1566, 1544.

Race 4 saw change to the course and slightly more wind. 1558 rounded first at the mark closely followed by 1511 this enabled them to stay ahead of 1574 until the spinnaker reach to the fifth mark, when 1574 overtook 1511, but they were both made to work for these positions until the finish. They were followed home by 1572, 1566 and then 1544.

Steve & Lin Worf.