With many members taking part in The Lord Birkett open meeting at Ullswater this weekend, club racing was slightly quieter than usual and started with another race in the Celebrity Glass pursuit series. Pam and Mik got away keenly, but the slightly blustery conditions caught Pam out at the windward mark and she capsized while tacking round, leaving Mik to take the lead. The GPs proved to be the strongest competition and, although Mike/Eric had a good lead, taking the right hand side of the beat turned out to be the wrong side as John/Nigel took the left side, wiping out Mike’s lead, before moving on to wipe out Mik’s lead too!
Ian/Lezli-Ann and Ian/Elaine had some close encounters, firstly on the start line when Ian C was forced over and had to return, through to the finish when Ian M was in the lead until crossing the line in a dead heat.
In the 2nd race both F15s had some spinnaker problems, though Ian C came off best and held the lead through to the finish
The Toppers had a good turnout and surrounded Mik, but Mik won on handicap from David and Jenny. Mike/Eric held off Alan/Sue to take another win and the current lead in the series.
In the handicap fleet Jim won in his Supernova ahead of Terry in a Laser, maintaining his lead in the series
Sunday started off with light zephyrs crossing the lake, and AJ asked for it to be sorted. By the time racing started the wind had filled in! However, it did ease towards the end of the race which slowed down proceedings a little. Hazel’s persistence in her Topper helped her maintain her lead in the MIrror/Topper series – well done!
As soon as most boats had finished the wind returned, and held for the afternoon race which, unusually, was a pennant race in aid of the Jubilee Sailing Trust but held as pursuit on a fleet handicap basis.
Pam, in her Mirror, led the fleet down the lake to 10, but not having seen next mark 15 kept on going. Unfortunately she had noted the missing mark before the OD who sent the rescue crews to advise boats to use 7 in lieu of missing 15, so she lost out on the extensive lead that she had. Jim opted not to use his H12 and raced in his Supernova, concentrating intensely to secure a lead (that wife Ann couldn’t believe!) which he maintained to the finish. The following four boats, though some minutes behind, were all closely grouped. A couple of Lasers lost their way, missed out a mark, and subsequently retired.
OD Nigel had a barrage of claims that, if the race hadn’t been shortened, their boats would have been taken ashore and wheeled around mark 15, which presently lies in the back camping field, on their trollies. Not certain that Tog would have approved, and there being no formal protests, the results stood.
As for the Boats that travelled to Ullswater for The Lord Birkett Trophy, congratulations to Mike and Kayla who finished 10th overall, and 1st F15 despite the changeable wind conditions