Kestrel Nationals 2009 - Filey Sailing Club

Reports & Results
1st to 4th August

Filey Commodore's report

A fleet of 18 Kestrel dinghies came to Filey Sailing Club for their 2009 National Championships, arriving on Friday afternoon and competing from Saturday to Tuesday over 7 races in what turned out to be quite a windy event for the fleet.

The fleet battled it out in wind strengths ranging from 15 to 21 mph on the last 2 of the 4 days which made out for some demanding sailing conditions. All of the 18 boats ventured out for all their 7 races, no one being deterred from what proved to be relatively demanding conditions overall.

The fleet of 18 boats travelled from north and south and has thoroughly enjoyed their stay and championships in Filey, vowing to return back again in 2012. It seems that all the fleets who choose Filey SC as their championship venues go away happy and keen to return in the future.

Filey Sailing Club consistently attracts quality fleets to this un-spoilt venue. The Club is ably assisted by the natural beauty and friendliness of this popular seaside town. Events of this calibre can only be held with the support of the local town and borough council –which is much appreciated by the Arndale based club.

On the water Race Officer Peter Crooks was amiably supported by his assistant Phil Trafford as the duo presided over the 7 race series. Off the water Filey SC looked after the competitors and their families and friends throughout the days and evenings with hospitality in abundance. Filey SC Commodore Paul Tyndall organised the event overall and heaped praise and thanks to those club stalwarts that run these events on a voluntary basis which is the only way events such as these can take place.

The overall winners of the 7 race series was Dusty Miller & John Ellingham from Lakeside SC who won 6 of the 7 races displaying consistent sailing on the sea. In 2nd place brothers from Scotland Stewart and Dave Murdoch with brothers Paul & James Jarvey just missing out on the 2nd place.

Paul Tyndall.

Paul Jarvey's report

The fleet battled it out in wind strengths ranging from 15 to 21 mph on the last 2 of the 4 days which made out for some demanding sailing conditions. All of the 18 boats ventured out for all their 7 races, no one being deterred from what proved to be relatively demanding conditions overall. The wind direction varied throughout the event to give off and onshore breezes and waves big enough to enjoy surfing.

On the water Race Officer Peter Crooks was amiably supported by his assistant Phil Trafford to provide an excellent series, with the trapezoid course being set perfectly and race length spot on every time.

Race One started with the fleet favouring the committee boat end, Dusty & John rounded the windward mark and went on to stretch their lead to the finish. Liam & Ali rounded next followed by Paul & James having sailed the entire beat stuck to leeward of Liam. Stewart & David followed and escaped a broach with spinnaker up to progress to 2nd. Paul & James took third.

Race two followed with the same three boats battling, with Paul & James leading at the leeward mark only to be passed by Stewart & David to leeward on the two sail reach to the finish.

Race three was again a battle between the three boats and Liam & Ali swapping places with Dave & Gareth for fourth and fifth places.

In Race Four Dusty & John rounded the windward mark first closely followed by Liam & Ali, this pair fought closely ahead of the following battle. This time Dave & Gareth managed to take a third.

Race Five it was the turn of Paul & James to lead again and break away from the pack with Dusty & John, the lead changed several times and Paul hitting the leeward mark did not help, regaining the lead at the top pulled the spinnaker up to realise it was too close and Dusty sailed over the top to take the lead and as the next run and beat had turned into a reach and fetch left attack impossible. Another win for Dusty with Stewart recovering to third as Dave & Gareth dropped from third to fifth due to the wind shift.

Race six was had the top six finishing in their overall placing. Dusty & John managed to keep out of trouble in front whilst Stewart & David and Paul & James were fighting it out for second, Paul staying ahead until managing to get the spinnaker sheet over the end of the boom during the last gybe.

Race seven had the fleet heading out in waves as deep as the previous day but the wind turning out to be a Force less. Paul & James got to the windward mark against the tide and hoisted the spinnaker expecting to be aided by the tide, alas, another bad call and lost their lead by the wing mark. By the end of the lap, Dusty and John led, this time all managing to fly spinnakers on the reach. Dave & Gareth had been tuning and swapping sails all week and were finally up to speed arriving at the windward mark on the second lap ‘just’ in front of Paul then Stewart, Stewart taking third then losing it to Paul again on the last beat.

The overall winners were Dusty Miller & John Ellingham from Lakeside SC, Peterborough although pressured at times displayed consistent sailing to win 6 of the 7 races. In 2nd place brothers Stewart and Dave Murdoch from Royal Tay YC, Dundee with brothers Paul & James Jarvey from Hickling Broad SC, Norfolk taking 3rd place. Dave Hearsum & Gareth Fay in finishing second in the last race grabbed fourth from Liam Pike & Ali Luxford. The top five overall were in the top five in each race, the last being the exception. Malcolm & Dannielle Worsley were sixth in a borrowed boat and improved all week to take a fifth in the last race.

Off the water Filey SC looked after the competitors and their families and friends throughout the days and evenings with hospitality in abundance. The fleet enjoyed their stay and championship in Filey, vowing to return again in 2012.

Paul Jarvey.

Further down the fleet

So, how did the rest of us do? The thirteen boats that didn’t make the top five developed some surprisingly competitive private battles with others in the bunch. These lasted the whole four days.

Phil Trevelyan and Chet Butler (1488) always did well in the beat to the first mark as did Kevin Edwins and Kevin Jones (1544), particularly when the wind picked up on the last two days. Unfortunately “the Kevins” new found speed needs to be combined with some new found reliability as capsizes and leaks undid all the good work.

The new pairing of John Weedon and Susannah Trevelyan (1545) proved to be fast, gaining two sixth places. Once again inconsistency (capsizes again) kept them from building on this.

The two Scottish boats of Ian Hunter & Trevor MacDonald (1559) and that of Alasdair Hood & Campbell Morrison (1601) battled hard against Duncan & Callum Wilson (1091), Steve & Lin Worf (1511) and Henry & Chris Richards (1563). It was, however, the father/daughter team of Malcolm and Dannielle Worsley (1606) in a borrowed boat that proved to be the ones to beat, improving on each race (apart from a race 5 glitch) achieving a brilliant 6th and 5th in the demanding conditions of the last two races. Watch out, they’re in their own boat and on home ground next year!

Both Rod & Jenny Brown-Lee (1573) and Tony Wilman & Keith Snow (1575) proved to have good upwind performance and battled hard off the wind but were unable to hang on to their places as the races progressed. Jenny claims that the 60 mile sponsored sail a few days earlier had taken its toll whilst Tony & Keith had not sailed together for over a year!

Both the boats of Gordon & Steven Forbes (1592) and Mike Burke & Jo Mahy (1594), though perhaps not having the speed, kept going and took points away from those who made mistakes. Gordon was feeling under the weather but still decided to sail with us. Both these teams will get faster so watch out.

It is probably worth mentioning the finish to race five which proved to be particularly hairy. The Wilsons had worked their way into 9th place, rounded the third mark and were on a broad reach/run to the line, close on the heels of John Weedon & Susannah Trevelyan and the Worsleys… then the wind died… but not for the nine boats behind. Things in the 1091 were getting fraught as Duncan tried to urge more speed from Callum and vice versa. All three spinnakers flopped as the giant descending wind shadow from the rest of the fleet got closer and the finish line appeared to stand still. Looking back was an amazing but terrifying sight! Duncan gingerly climbed to defend against Ian Hunter as the Worfs tried to pass the leading three by going low. The Wilsons just held on to cross the line in 7th, followed by Ian Hunter & Trevor MacDonald who were begging the Wilson boat to clear the line faster as the rest piled in. Then it was chaos. A race officer’s nightmare as ten boats crossed the line together – well not “the Kevins” who somehow got forced over the wrong side of the mark… so, you try calling water on nine dinghies!

Races six and seven provided some wonderful sailing. Duncan & Callum paid the price in race six for not altering their mast rake as did Kevin & Kevin for not finding the leak. Reaches on the plane and surfing runs provided excellent sport and great skill was shown as boats vied for position while inventing new ways of surviving a spinnaker-surfing-death-roll! Brilliant – and well done to everyone, it was great fun.

Duncan Wilson.

The Crew's Race
This event did not take place.