2010 Kestrel South Western Championship - Calshot Sailing Club

Report & Results
14th/15th August

Calshot Sailing Club provided the venue for the South Western Area Championship this last weekend.

After winning the National Championship in what was one of the closest championship battles for some time, John Ellingham and Dusty Miller again demonstrated just why they are the top pair to beat. Three wins and a second with a sixth placed discard guaranteed they would take the South Western Area Championship trophy back to Peterborough again.

However, John also went home with a sore head and bad cut to his nose from losing his balance at the gybe mark of race six and colliding with the boom which made him head but the main sheet hoop. Fortunately the hoop and boom were undamaged but Dusty, ever the caring helm, was so worried about getting blood on the sails decided to retire.

Liam Pike with Alistair Luxford tied with Dave Hearsum and Gareth Fay for second place but winning the last race gave them the advantage in the tie break. Liam and Alistair did not get off to the best of starts when Liam turned up too late to start the first race but they sailed a consistent series and deserved their finishing position even though the light winds on Saturday were less than ideal for their waif like bodies.

Dave Hearsum and Gareth Fay had the honours of beating John and Dusty in the second race when Dusty got the wrong side of a wind shift and Dave was able to capitalise on this rare mistake. On Sunday morning Dave and Gareth had the opportunity to consolidate his overnight second place position. Whist comfortably leading the fourth race and with just one lap to the finish he managed to get tangled with the spinnaker pole whilst tacking and capsized.

Local sailor Steve Worf crewed by Duncan Wilson had a fairly consistent series with three thirds and two fourths to give him a comfortable fourth overall. With the wind coming from the north east and having a whacking great thunderstorm visit the Solent on Saturday afternoon, Steve was unable to capitalise on his local knowledge.

On the Sunday the wind, though still from the northeast, became more consistent and gave the less experienced sailors a very different kind of challenge. Kevin and Hadyn Edwins managed a swim when Kevin got hooked by the spinnaker pole as well and Jules Barnastable, not knowing her own strength managed to pull the jib pulley out of the deck of Alan’s boat which finished their weekend earlier than planned.

On behalf of the competitors I would like to thank Calshot SC and the members who put on such a well organised event. A special mention must go to Lin Worf, who was unable to sail do to a knee injury, but must have spent some considerable time and effort making all the salads for the excellent Saturday night barbecue.

Dave Hearsum.