| The Lord Birket
Trophy – Ullswater 1st-2nd July
We arrived at Ullswater with the sun shining
and not a breath of wind it looked like we would use
the 6 hour time limit to get to the other end of the
start line.
10 Musto Skiffs turned up to race and 4 MPS sailors
absorbed in to the 18ft Skiff fleet.
The course on Saturday in keeping with tradition. It
was a club start line the width of the lake which was
a little cramped with 206 boats but all part of the
fun. Up to Norfolk Island 7 miles away at the other
end of the lake with fantastic views of the mountains
and back down to Pooley Bridge around 2 marks and back
to finish at the club.
A nice 10kt breeze filled in just in time to make it
a skiff fest.The start line was 5 deep in boats of all
sizes, to be on port would be suicide illustrated by
a laser 4000 that took on Ian Trotter, Mark Addison
and Graeme Oliver’s 18ft Skiff and lost everything above
deck level.
Off to a good start Richard and Kit Stenhouse won the
start out of the sag in the middle of the line using
the acceleration of the MPS to full advantage leaving
the fleet behind for a short while. As the faster boats
caught up and over took it was time to pick clean lanes
between to 18’s and 49ers and try and stay on the right
side of the lake which was mostly where ever the local
heroes and 3 time past winner Lester and Lee Noble went
in there 49er. To be a few boat lengths out of position
would leave you becalmed, it was exhausting with tactical
decisions being made all the way and having to constantly
adjust sails and balance as the wind changed strength
and direction.
A swim would have been welcome but it would win you
the race. Richard and Kit turned round Norfolk Island
within a few places and in a very strong gust. The 18s
and 49ers had been unable to hold there kites and where
forced to 2 sail to the next corner in the lake, Richard
hoisted and had to bin the main to keep as high as possible
Kit chose to reach to get some height before hoisting,
Unfortunately straight in to a hole with no wind. Richard
blasted away to win the race by over 2 minuets on handicap
finishing with the mid fleet 49ers. Kit ended up 17th
a costly mistake.
The rest of the Musto fleet got swallowed up in the
pack at the start but had a close race with many place
changes between them, for some it was there first race
welcome to the fleet Mike Woodhead, and Chris Turner
and a baptism of fire, a better day than watching the
football.
On Sunday again no wind but with and earlier start no
time for it to fill in. The race officer wisely chose
a shorter course to a mark half way up the lake. After
several recalls the Nobles were off to a perfect start,
with lighter winds it was a day for the slow boats.
Kit picked some good shifts up the first beat and a
fantastic downwind to narrowly miss winning the race
finishing 2nd and 3rd overall to the Nobles 49er on
handicap. Richard managed to be the next finisher behind
Kit but some 10 mins later , which was too close the
chasing pack 96th place and 34th overall.
MPS Overall
1st Kit Stenhouse Rutland SC Helly Hansen
2nd Richard Stenhouse Rutland SC Helly Hansen
3rd Jason Riby South Shields SC
4th Chris turner Lyme Regis SC Ovington Boats
5th Steve Lowe South Shields SC
6th Phil Robinson Filey SC
7th Bill Smith Lymington Town Sailing Club
8th Richard Purdy Sunderland YC
9th Colin Aldred Filey SC
10th Mike Woodhead Royal Yorkshire YC and West Riding
SC
Birket Overall
1 26 49er 49er 908 Noble L Noble
L UYC 747 2 1 3
2 50 Skiff 18' 18' Skiff 30 Woodworth M Brown D Datchet
SC 685 6 3 9
3 155 Musto Skiff Musto
Skiff 252 Stenhouse K Rutland SC 875 17 2 19
4 15 Skiff 18' 18' Skiff 5 Barton P Borrett M Royal
Lymington 685 22 5 27
5 144 RS200 RS200 876 Escritt K Saul A Yorkshire Dales
SC 1059 30 4 34
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