Results / Gul Winter Championships Chew Valley Lake SC - 12/03/2005
Obviously comparing Chew with Bondi Beach would be inappropriate with the
freezing conditions, pre-ice age cloud cover and a bitter wind from the
Artic. But me, with my reputation, what could they be thinking when they
asked me to write up this event?
So Surfing dudes, let�s party.
As I looked out from the Chew club house at our break for the weekend, I
knew, shifty and tea bagging were going to be terms in common usage.
There had been little rain over the winter and this has had obvious
attracted a range of centreboard biting sharks (generally found in
shallow water, especially Hayling Island) hell bent on attacking on a
number of boats, always close to shore and always highly damaging to the
800 fleet. Race one had obviously attracted a swarm with the sickening
crunch of ripping fibre glass as boats heading for the start line were
attacked. Several had to limp ashore and patch the damage before
returning to the surf action.
Adriane and Julia (recently engaged and still sailing with each other)
managing to borrow a boat and making it out in time to race again. The
pit stop team must have been on fire!
Race 1
Race one kicked off cleanly with some gnarly gusts coming over the club
house switching backwards and forwards as the clouds passed over. The
left had been looking good for the stronger winds so a number of the
fleet headed over looking for the first header that signalled the time to
tack. Good wave action and twin wiring meant that you had to be tuned in
for the gusts. A few boats heading right suffered from the viscous great
white shark (little Denny) who had positioned himself by the small island
in the middle of the lake.
The top mark under the club house meant that we all got practice tacking.
The leaders managed to get round without any damage with Steve Irish and
Martin Gottrel (sponsored by Magic Marine) leading the fleet into the
left side of the course, feeding into the gusts heading down the lake.
Twin wiring in flat water, what more could our surfers ask for? With
Chris Haworth and Stuart Astons following on with Spod and Jane Olive
(Sponsored by Solar) just behind. Ian Martin and Claire Booth creeping up
behind them in their new ship looking very nice with the aft main sheet
system.
By the bottom mark Steve and Martin had developed a distinct lead that
would leave the rest of us scrabbling in the wake. Chris and Stuart,
battling with Spod and Jane for the king of the shifts, with places
changing up and down wind. Finally Spod and Jane picked up some wind on
the right down wind to ease into second place.
So the lessons from that race meant hitting the shifts right up wind and
searching for the pressure down wind. A lesson that would apply to the
rest of the weekend with places changing dramatically each leg.
Race 2
The second race followed a similar routine but this time Chris and Stuart
managed to get ahead and create a good lead on the rest with Spod and
Jane hot in pursuit. Ian & Claire came flying in on the port lay line
third only to find Neil Ashby and Roz Allen steaming in on starboard. A
720 left them wallowing at the back of the fleet but with some gambles
down wind and back the left corner the pulled back up to finish 4th. They
weren�t the only ones to do turns, Steve and Martin had a minor incident
and his 720 off the start line keep him back from the front runner until
the penultimate laps when a great gust projected him into second place.
However some cunning down wind gust selection found the wind feeding in
from the right to allow Spod and Jane back into second place at the
bottom mark with Steve and Martin attacking back all the way to the
finish.
Race 3
After a huge wind shift and a general recall, the fleet eventually got
away. Spod & Jane started well and headed over to the left hand side of
the course, hit the header and tacked. A good lift into the top mark kept
them ahead of the fleet who were coming in on the Starboard layline. With
the wind filling in from behind it was a case of gybing with the fleet
looking for the stronger gusts to stay ahead.
The shift upwind were equally unpredictable with places changing all of
the time. With a 200m lead Spod and Jane misread the committee boat flags
and decided to head for the finish a lap too early letting Justin Deal
and Sarah Marriot and Lawrie Fitzjohn and Dan Allin through the gap.
A tough upwind fight found Spod and Jane back to second place, more
swapping places down wind but Justin and Sarah kept their cool and lead
to the finish. Spod and Jane second, still fuming at their mistake,
Lawrie and Dan 3rd and Steve and Martin clawing back to fourth.
So time to lick the wounds, seal up the holes made by the shark attacks,
warmth, steak pie, form the new RS800 class committee and head off to the
local pub.
Sunday
Race 4
The wind had dropped over night but remained in a similar shifty
direction. Single wiring stuff with a few puffs. After a little
hesitation the fleets launched and gingerly made their way down to the
start avoid the under water logs and bumps (sorry shark areas).
Justin and Sarah lead most of the race heading right at the bottom mark
(and running aground in the process) and hit a huge lift coming in from
the right.
Steve and Martin managed to creep into second with Ian and Clare just
behind. Try to over take Ian and Claire gybed set to get past Steve and
Martin and once again the wind filled in from the left allowing Chris and
Stuart and Neil and Roz to get past.
Mean while the battle for first saw Steve and Martin coming in on
starboard at the last mark and squeaking through to finish in front of
Justin and Sarah.
Race 5 & 6- Business as usual
By now there were a number of teddies floating around the lake as shifty
conditions had caused rows in every boat. The calm surfing dude speak had
been replaced with some sharp language not to be repeated. Again it was a
day to keep your head out of the boat and try not to get too frustrated.
Places came and went and you just had to stay level headed.
Steve and Martin showed some great examples of this for the last 2 races
with clean fast starts and playing the shifts and gusts well. These were
the conditions he has always revelled in and two bullets sealed his
victory in this event.
The usual suspects finished behind and Neil and Roz showed a consistent
turn of speed, especially on the Sunday marking their return to the fleet.
The other good results came from Lawrie and Dan , Phil King and Ian
Robertson who scored a couple of fourths and Ralph and Sophie Singleton
who had consistent weekend to take them up to 6th overall.
Finally Merit ward went to Kate Gillow and Katie Savage who had spent
most of last season at the back but obviously had picked up some speed
juice from somewhere to finish 12th
Spod Olive
1. Steve Irish Martin Gotrel Draycote Water 1 3 4 1
1 1 7 1
2. Chris Haworth Stuart Aston BCYC 3 1 6 3
8 2 15 2
3. Alan Olive Jane Olive Stokes Bay 2 2 2 8
9 6 20 3
4. Ian Martin Claire Booth Bough Beech 4 4 8 5
2 7 22 4
5. Neil Ashby Roz Allen Wilsonian 5 6 10 4
3 5 23 5
6. Ralph Singleton Sophie Singleton CVLSC 9 7 5
6 5 3 26 6
7. Lawrie Fitzjohn Sykes Dan Allin Dittisham 8 5
3 7 24 8 31 7
8. Justin Deal Sarah Marriot Frensham Pond 7 24 1 2
10 17 37 8
9. Philip King Ian Robertson Oxford 10 12 19 10 4
4 40 9
10. Phillip Highfield Luke Harwood Waveney & Oulton Board 14 10
14 9 11 11 55 10
11. Matt Humphreys Sam Ferens HISC 11 16 12 20
6 12 57 11
12. Kate Gillow Katie Savage Draycote Water 13 14 16 12
13 9 61 12
13. Malcolm Streeton Miles Roebuck HISC 15 8 13 11
15 15 62 13
14. Rob Chaplin Jonathon Cameron QMSC 12 11 20 13
20 10 66 14
15. Ben Vines Jenny Vines RLYC/IPYC 24 24 9 14
7 14 68 15
16. Andrew Smith Ash Davison Stokes Bay 6 17 11
17 19 18 69 16
17. David Goudie Lawerence Riches GWSC 18 13 18
18 12 13 74 17
18. John Harvey Adrain Garland Thornbury 16 15 15 16
14 16 76 18
19. James Ross Heather Back Weston 17 24 7 21 18
19 82 19
20. Adrian Coatsworth Julia Jenkins Southwold 24 9 17
15 24 24 89 20
21. Derek Buchanan Elaine Buchanan Oxford 19 18 24 22
16 24 99 21
22. Babs Emmans Roland Emmans Weston 20 24 24 19 17
24 104 22
23. Bill Smith Charlie Hamilton LTSC & Bass 21 24 24
23 21 24 113 23