2008 Ovington
Inland Championships
Event
Photos by Tania Samus http://www.photoskiff.com/sailing/grafham08/
Despite a nasty forecast 29 Musto Skiffs
arrived Saturday morning to compete in the Ovington
Inland Championships at Grafham Water Sailing Club.
The sailors arrived to a brisk bitter breeze, blowing
down the lake. With the early start and the Musto’s
being first to be released off the start line, many
sailors where dashing around to launch for the first
race of the championships.
Bang on time the Mustos were on the rampage
as the competitive beat up towards the first mark. With
a steadily strength breeze it was vital to be on the
correct shift up towards the windward mark. The boats
soon emerged together towards the top mark, across and
round the spreader mark and out pops the kites one after
another. The boats separated and positioning didn’t
change, 1st Richard Stenhouse, 2nd Dan Vincent, 3rd
Tom Wright. With the early timing many sailors where
late getting to the first start.
As the day went on the wind gradually grew stronger
and stronger, the races became a challenge to complete
the course upright. The boat handling was the main advantage
as this separated the fleet, men from the boys as there
were boats capsizing left right and centre on the gybes.
The 4th race brought top class sailing in high winds
with only 13 sailors to finish the race!
The second day brought a light shifty wind. With three
races scheduled the first was soon in full swing. With
high concentration and high-quality tactics the three
youths, Tom Wright, Nick Hollis and Dan Henderson led
the way around the course and through the finish. The
wind lightly increased for the 6th race of the championships,
Close racing brought a mixture of results.
The pressure was on, as points of the
top 5 boats clustered together. The last race brought
interesting sailing; Stenhouse was having a battle as
Dan was trying to defend his first position on the course.
Some sailors were risking the position heading out towards
the breeze on a header as others where defending and
sailing in safe mode.
The Championship brought a mixture of races from a tricky
light breeze to high performance heavy wind sailing
testing tactics and boat handling. Very competitive
sailing took place with overall position
1st Richard Stenhouse
2nd Dan Vincent
3rd Tom Wright
4th Mike Palfremen
5th Leigh Albrecht
Full
results >>>
|
