A bit soggy as we left Hove for Burghfiled, near Reading, for the Streaker Southern area Championships. The forecast was for it to dry up and for there to be north easterly breeze of up to 12 knots. The meeting was to be a joint venture with Solos and Comets and some 13 Streakers had entered although one failed to make it onto the water.
The RO set a course for the first race as a simple trapezoid with the committee boat start up in the far north west end of the lake with the Streakers having the first start followed by the solos and finally the comets.
At the gun Veronica Falat (Waveney & Oulton Broad) was first away, in mid line, with
Matt Whitield (Tamworth) just to windward and Ian Bradley (Ouse Ameteur) a bit closer to the committee boat. With a long beat ahead the fleet split to pass either side of the closest Island, and then reformed to the west, with multiple tacks to reach the windward mark (mark 4). First to get there was Graham Bulter (Frensham Pond) followed by Mark Langston (Beccles), then Ian Bradley, Howard Frear (Sutton Bingham), Veronica Falat, Alan Simmons (Lancing), Matt Whitfield and Chris Abela (West Oxfordshire).
There was then a gap before Ian Whifield (Tamworth) rounded followed by Peter Withrington (Burghfield), Peter Russell (Burghfield) and lastly Nick Carter (Burghfiled).
There was then a short reach to mark 2 followed by a long run back north to mark 10 where again the fleet split on port and starboard tacks. After mark 10 there was a short close reach to mark 9 before the long windward leg began again. In the following lap Veronica decided to take a dip on the downwind leg when there was a large gust as she gybed and fell out of the boat. She recovered without losing too much to the competition and finished the race in fifth place.
The racing amongst the leading half of the fleet was always close but it was Howard who took first place ahead of Graham with Ian Bradley third and Ian Whitfield fourth.
Because of the start line was at the top of the lake, even Bett’s 45 time zoom lens could not pick up all the detail, especially with the Islands obscuring the start area and following the course change for the second race after lunch.
It seems, from the photographic evidence, that Veronica was first away at the gun for the second race with Ian Whitfield next and then Ian Bradley. With the line a bit further east the fleet stayed largely on the east side of the main Island on the windward leg to mark 4. Howard was once again in control leading Ian Bradley and Veronica by the end of the beat after a good bit of close tacking.
By the end of the race this order was maintained with Howard taking the gun. Graham took fourth place from Mark in fifth. Sixth place went to Ian Whitfield withChris seventh, Matt eighth and Alan 9th. Peter Russell10th, Peter Withrington 11th and Nick 12th.
The final race was sailed over yet another course starting between marks 9 and 8. With the view from the Clubhouse once again obscured by the Island it appears that the port hand end of the line was preferred with Ian Whitfield first away and Howard not far behind but to windward. Next off were Matt Whitfield and Veronica (also to windward) with Ian Bradley just behind. Alan had been contemplating a port hand start but gave it best as the fleet got too close to the pin end of the line.
By the end of the windward leg to mark 5, Ian Bradley was in the lead from Veronica with Howard lying third, Ian Whitfield fourth and Graham fifth. After the reach across to mark 13 Graham pulled through ahead of his group to lie fourth behind Veronica with Matt (on Port tack) just ahead of Howard and with Mark close behind the pair.
After another beat back from mark 8 Ian Bradley was still ahead but Mark was second ahead of Howard and Veronica. At the finish the leader was Ian Bradley with Veronica second, Matt third and Howard fourth. With all the racing finished for the day it was left only for the prize giving, the meeting and Southern Area Championship trophy going to Howard Frear, Ian Bradley (on equal points)took second place and Veronica third. A day of not too excessive wind, mostly top end force three, but with some stronger gusts (and complete lulls near the Islands), mostly blue skies with a bit of cloud and the rain holding off until all were packed up and going home. The racing for the most part was very close at the front of the fleet and even further back there was some tight competition. We had to stop on the way home, at Reading services, to get some air in a nearly flat trailer tyre – cost £1.00 - b…y cheek ! but to be expected on a Motorway I suppose.
The RO set a course for the first race as a simple trapezoid with the committee boat start up in the far north west end of the lake with the Streakers having the first start followed by the solos and finally the comets.
The racing amongst the leading half of the fleet was always close but it was Howard who took first place ahead of Graham with Ian Bradley third and Ian Whitfield fourth.
Because of the start line was at the top of the lake, even Bett’s 45 time zoom lens could not pick up all the detail, especially with the Islands obscuring the start area and following the course change for the second race after lunch.
After another beat back from mark 8 Ian Bradley was still ahead but Mark was second ahead of Howard and Veronica. At the finish the leader was Ian Bradley with Veronica second, Matt third and Howard fourth. With all the racing finished for the day it was left only for the prize giving, the meeting and Southern Area Championship trophy going to Howard Frear, Ian Bradley (on equal points)took second place and Veronica third. A day of not too excessive wind, mostly top end force three, but with some stronger gusts (and complete lulls near the Islands), mostly blue skies with a bit of cloud and the rain holding off until all were packed up and going home. The racing for the most part was very close at the front of the fleet and even further back there was some tight competition. We had to stop on the way home, at Reading services, to get some air in a nearly flat trailer tyre – cost £1.00 - b…y cheek ! but to be expected on a Motorway I suppose.
Results:-
Alan.S 1700
PS. to see the 'Official Report' go to :- http://www.streaker-class.org.uk/Articles/25 (Best done using Firefox or alternative browser to IE - the updatedStreaker web site is not fully readable with IE 11)
PS. to see the 'Official Report' go to :- http://www.streaker-class.org.uk/Articles/25 (Best done using Firefox or alternative browser to IE - the updatedStreaker web site is not fully readable with IE 11)
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