Inland Championships – Llandegfedd Sailing Club April 25/26 2009

A total of 13 boats gathered at Llandegfedd over the weekend of 25-26 April for the Inland Championships.  They were greeted on Saturday morning by a stiff South-Easterly breeze.  The wind direction protected the launching area to a degree, but once the boats reached the race area at the top end of the reservoir the full force was felt!  Vicious gusts of Force 6, combined with holes and shifts, meant that it was going to be a testing day.


AC’s 

Race 1 started with only the boats of Steve Bowen and Charlie Chandler anywhere near the line.  These two had a good battle with the lead changing several times due to capsizes and gear problems. Steve’s rudder locking mechanism came undone resulting in him hurtling downwind with spinnaker flying and no steerage allowing Charlie to take first blood.  Only these two boats finished the race, the others had succumbed to failures of boats or pilots.

Race 2 was a one-horse race.  Steve Bowen threw in the towel due to his rudder problem exacerbated by his somewhat unwise decision to remove a bouyancy hatch to use as a temporary screwdriver!!! Charlie then treated us to a masterclass in heavy-weather Canoe sailing although wisely not using his kite in the very worst squalls which were coming through at over 30 knots.

At the lunchbreak the OD was looking for guidance from the gathered fleets as to whether to sail again after lunch.  The AC’s wisely voted with their feet, and covers were being put on before the final decision was made.

Saturday evening was spent in a curry house in Cwmbran washed down by several gallons of red wine continously ordered by Mr Bowen & cronies. The local pub where the canoe campers had set up base camp provided entertainment from local celebrity comedian Owen Money.  A good time was had by all.

Sunday was simply at the other end of the spectrum.  A warm day, with a fitful wind that peaked at the top end of a Force 2, and much of the time had sailors sitting or standing in their boats.

Three races were scheduled for the morning and a definite pecking order appeared.  Ian Fryett and Charlie Chandler were vying for the lead in each race, and always seemed able to get the breaks off the line and slowly eek a gap out.  The pursuing bunch of Steve Bowen, Steve Clarke, Martyn Osbourne and Maurice Clarke were having a good battle behind the leaders, and place changes were frequent in the shifting and variable breeze.

After lunch another two races were held.  On the first run of the first one, the calm descended across the pond, leaving Charlie, Ian and Steve Clarkecrawling into the leeward mark.  The wind filled in from the windward mark, and these three could see Martyn and Maurice at full stretch with kites up, screaming up to them.  The gust landed all of the boats at the leeward mark at the same time and it was game on, an upwind sprint to the finish of the shortened course.  Martyn and Maurice went further right than the other three, where the pressure was higher.  Maurice crossed the line less than a boatlength behind Ian but at 10 times the boats speed, swiftly followed by Martyn third (whooping like a lunatic- Ed), with Charlie fourth.

For the final race normal service was resumed.  By this time the wind had dropped to a Force 1, and it was a one-lap drift. 

Notable performances from new recruits Ian Fryett coming a very close 2nd from this only his second open and Maurice Clarke who is starting to show what he is capable of if he spent more time in the boat.   

All in all, a fantastic weekend with good sailing, good company and great catering courtesy of Terry and team in the “Hut”.  Thanks to the race team and rescue boat boys and girls, both had a challenging weekend due to all of the things that the weather threw at us!

Final Results

1.         Charlie Chandler              284   (1,1,1,(2),2,(4),1

2.         Ian Fryett                      267   (DNC),(DNC), 2,1,1,2

3.         Maurice Clarke                282   (DNC), (DNC), 4,4,4,2,5

4.         Steve Clarke                  300   (DNC), (DNC), 6,3,3,5,3

5.         Martyn Osborne             302    (DNC), (DNC), 5,5,5,3,4

6.         Steve Bowen                290    2, (DNC), 3, DNC, DNC, DNC, DNC

7.         Terry McCool                 227    DNC, DNC, DNC, DNC, DNC, 6,6

IC’s

Five international Canoes gathered at Llandegfedd Sailing club for the 2009 inland championships. The view across the lake from the lauching area was very deceptive with the true wind conditions apparent only as the boats made their way to the northern end of the resivoir. By the time the start gun fired for the first gun most boats had already capsised with Jim Champ and Phil Robin early retirements. It was defending champion Chris Hampe who was first away with a port tack start at the pin end. At the first windward mark Colin Newman lead after taking a good lift on the left hand side of the course whilst Andy Patterson was struggling in third. At the gybe mark Chris took a brief swim to allow Colin to open a small lead but on the second beat Chris regained the advantage by working the left hand side and was able to hold on for the race win from Colin. Andy came home third a lap down to br the only other finisher.
Race two and the conditions were getting worse Colin Newman lead for most of the race until a capsise resulted in him falling through his mainsail. this left Chris Hampe on his own who managed to finish after several capsises. It was then in for a prolonged lunch break as the race team debated if any further races should go ahead. Eventually all racing was abandoned for the day with two races completed there would be five races scheduled for sunday.

What a difference a day makes! Sunday dawned and the water was as still as a millpond. The Race officers were keen to get things started on time and the boats were sent to the start area. A gentle breeze that kept shuting off and shifting was the order of the morning three races and Colin Newman was able to come from third to pass both Andy Patterson and Phil Robin to win race three on the final beat. This would prove to be the race won by the nethercotts as the new rules boats then started their dominance of the event with Phil Robin winning both races four and five from Andy Patterson. Meanwhile Colin Newman was closing up On Chris Hampe in the battle of the one designs and as the racing paused for lunch after race five Chirs Hampe held a slender one point lead with Colin Newman, Phil Robin and Andrew Patterson all tied on ten points with two races left any of these four could win. 

Race six and with the wind conditions lighter than ever Andy Patterson won from Colin Newman in second, Phil Robin third and Jim Champ fourth. With one final race four boats still had a mathematical chance of winning but the advantage would be with Phil Robin who would now be able to discard both of his saturday results. The final race sorted the overall positions Phil Robin’s third race win sealing th Inland championship from Andrew Patterson. Chris Hampe kept a close cover on Colin Newman to take third overall and first OD on countback with Chris having two race wins to Colin’s one.


1st) 311 Phil Robin, 8 points (6), (6), 2, 1, 1, 3, 1. 
2nd) 305 Andy Patterson, 10 pts, (3), (6), 3, 2, 2, 1, 2.
3rd) 238 Chris Hampe, 12 pts, 1, 1, 4, 3, (6), (5), 3.
4th) 295 Colin Newman 12 pts, 2, (6), 1, (4), 3, 2, 4.
5th) 257 Jim Champ 24pts (6), (6), 5, 5, 4, 4, 6.

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