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Sunderland 2007 |
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Sunderland 18th - 19th
August Saturday Race 1 The breeze was around 10 knots from the SSE and the tide close to slack water, but nominally still running northwards. The Europes started in the slow handicap class. Brian took the leeward end of the pack while Val started mid line but with better timing, which put her just in front of Brian as they left the slower boats behind. Val overstood the windward mark, having taken a route inshore behind the harbour breakwater. This let Brian catch up so that both rounded the mark together. Val's outside spot let her get past Brian to windward where she continued to open out her lead. On the subsequent rounds Brian had the edge in windward speed while Val was noticeably faster downwind, eventually leaving Brian behind to finish with a clear lead. The two Europes had earlier taken in the asymmetric class leeward mark while the remainder of the slow fleet rounded the correct mark to ensure that neither Europe figured in the regatta race places overall! Race 2 The breeze was dropping and the tide was now starting to run south. Brian again started to leeward while, to windward, Val encouraged a few recalcitrant reaching starters to head up but as the recall sounded she decided that she better return, not knowing by then whether she was herself over the line. With Val's delayed start Brian was given time to get to the windward mark ahead and managed to stay in front until the second reach where Val rolled over him to windward to get to the leeward mark just ahead. In her enthusiasm for shutting the door to Brian at the turn Val succeeded instead in hitting the mark, letting Brian through after all while she completed her turn. Now Brian had another chance to keep the lead but Val sailed the difficult chop carefully to cross only just behind Brian on the final few tacks to the windward mark. At this point Brian fluffed a covering tack, allowing Val to speed past underneath and cross to regain the lead at the mark. Now Val was ahead and made sure of the next downwind leg to open out the gap even more. After the next leeward mark Val went left while Brian continued right for longer to clear his wind. This proved a bad decision as a windshift to the left gave Brian a distant view of Val's transom on the next tack. From then on it was a procession as Val continued to work further ahead in the dropping breeze. The RO shortened the race just after the Europes next passed through the finishing gate, obviously realising that Brian needed another practice lap! Sunday Sunday dawned to the sound of the Sunderland Port foghorn and a brisk NNE wind which rose rapidly to 25-30 knots during the morning. After a postponement, the RO made the decision to race within the Harbour where he could see the boats, but with the strong wind gusting off the breakwater to windward and some very aggressive rocks on the harbour defences to leeward, both Europes took the decision to help others launch, leaving the traveller result to stand from the previous day and watched the few intrepid sailors complete or retire from a much foreshortened third race. At one point the local ILB came out, but surely they wanted some practice as the club RIBs were working well to cope with what difficulties there were. Overall Northern & Midland Travller Series Result With the NMT series complete the trophy winner is Gareth Williams, with Richard Eagleton runner up. The two Scottish sailors took third and fourth in a tie break to reward their occasional ventures into alien territory. Overall results table here. Brian Finnie GBR315 |
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