Bala Catamaran Open 2023
by Mike Allen 12 May 2023 06:06 BST
6-7 May 2023
Bala Sailing Club's annual catamaran open welcomed eleven boats, a slightly smaller entry than normal, not helped by a date clash with a King and a very light wind forecast on Saturday. Despite this, competitors travelled from Cumbria, Yorkshire and London. Hugh Davies and Cheri Johnson won the furthest travelled, some two hundred and fifty miles from Stokes Bay SC.
At the briefing the PRO detailed his optimistic plans to run three races in the shifty south easterly wind which was blowing over the club. This was the right decision as a gentle force two greeted competitors as they headed out to the race course. Sailing an F18, Paul and Jude Allen from Bassenthwaite SC won all three races in the mixed handicap fleet of eleven catamarans.
Overnight, locals John Tuckwell and Mike Cleaver, sailing a Hurricane SX, held second overall counting five points. Charles Watson and Wayne Crompton, sailing a Spitfire from Yorkshire Dales SC, held third overnight counting six points. The breeze slowly faded as the day progressed with the last race just finishing before it shut off completely. Competitors and members enjoyed a BBQ on the patio after racing, with the clouds parting and the sun making a welcomed appearance just in time.
Day two looked entirely different, with the favourable south westerly forecast fully bedded in at 9am. Competitors enjoyed full trapezing conditions throughout the day, on a 1 mile windward leeward course with an upwind gate used to accommodate the varied speed of the different classes. Continuing the previous days form, Paul and Jude won races four and five to claim first overall.
The real excitement was in the race for second and third, which looked close between Pete Jones and Fraser McMillan, sailing an F18 from Tresaith Mariners SC and John Tuckwell and Mike Cleaver, sailing a Hurricane SX from Bala. Pete and Fraser sailed a solid second day, counting a 3rd, 2nd and a 1st but unfortunately this wasn't enough to make up for an average first day. John and Mike claimed second overall by two points.
Next up is the legendary Bala Long Distance on 17/18 June. Full details here.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Sail No | Class | SCHRS | Helm | Crew | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | Pts |
|---|
| 1st | 1825 | NACRA F18 CATAMARAN | 1 | Paul Allen | Jude Allen | Bassenthwaite SC | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | (DNC) | 5 |
| 2nd | 500 | HURRICANE 5.9 SX CATAMARAN | 13 | John Tuckwell | Mike Cleaver | Bala SC | ‑4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 16 |
| 3rd | 957 | NACRA F18 CATAMARAN | 1 | Pete Jones | Fraser McMillan | Tresaith Mariners SC | 5 | 7 | ‑8 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 18 |
| 4th | 1100 | UNICORN CATAMARAN | 1.197 | Richard Bette | | Queensmead SC | ‑6 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 19 |
| 5th | 1588 | NACRA F18 CATAMARAN | 1 | Liz Howell | Mike Howell | Tresaith Mariners SC | 8 | (DNC) | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 20 |
| 6th | 227 | SPITFIRE CATAMARAN | 147 | Charles Watson | wayne Crompton | Yorkshire Dales SC | 2 | 4 | ‑7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 26 |
| 7th | 47A | A CLASSIC CATAMARAN (STRAIGHT / CONSTANT | 126 | Steve Tellwright | | Bala SC | 3 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 8 | (DNC) | 27 |
| 8th | 106206 | HOBIE 16 | 1.218 | Hugh Davies | Cheri Johnson | Stokes Bay | 7 | 5 | 6 | (DNC) | 6 | 5 | 29 |
| 9th | 2123 | DART 16 CATAMARAN | 1.324 | Andrew Bovington | Dave Ansell | Bala SC | (DNF) | DNC | DNC | 9 | 9 | 7 | 49 |
| 10th | 2049 | DART 16 CATAMARAN | 1.324 | ????????????? | | | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | 8 | 10 | 8 | 50 |
| 11th | 244 | CATAPULT CATAMARAN | 1.284 | Damien Cooney | Ann Cooney | Bala SC | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 60 |