B14 Training & Open at Rutland Sailing Club

All races count for the B14s at Rutland © Kathy Sherratt

All races count for the B14s at Rutland © Kathy Sherratt

B14s go to the wire at Rutland

18 B14s turned up at Rutland to be greeted by a bitter Northerly force 5. The race format for the weekend was for training on Saturday finishing with a 2 race handicap series. On Sunday the TT series would be all races to count, which would add spice to the racing.

On Saturday the in the Handicap series winning the bubbly with 2 bullets was Mark Pollard/Richard Hingston followed by Tim Harrison/Johnny Radcliffe and Theo Gayler/Pete Nicholson. Several of the top crews sailing with their buddy crews, found the tide in the testing conditions but all enjoyed the day and the fleet on mass retired to the bar followed by a late night in the Wheatseaf pub. Sunday dawned, with a change of clocks and hangovers one or 2 teams were to have a groggy day. The format for Sunday would be 4 races in a force 3 – 5.

Race 1 started with port bias, fleet splitting to left and right. The leader at the top mark was AT&T (Tim Fells/Shaun Barber), followed by Readycrest (Mark Barnes/Pete Nicholson) and MJF (Dave hayes/Rich Bell). Most of the fleet headed right but Ince&Co (Mark Watts/Tim Rogers) headed left and got the breeze of the gods to sail round the fleet and take a 100 m. lead by the leaward mark. Up the next beat the fleet split but the positions did not change. So Ince&Co led followed by AT&T, Readycrest and 688 (Tim Harrison/Johnny Radcliffe). Going into the finish the first 3 were vying for the bullet. Ince&Co missed the leaward gate and in coming back recovered to 5th. AT&T won from Readycrest, 688 and 764 (Mark Pollard/Richard Hingston).

Race 2 and the breeze was dropping and swinging right. AT&T led to the left off the pin and Ince&Co out of the middle to the right. At the windward mark, it was Ince&Co, followed by MYF, 744 (Guy Whitby/Anna Payne), AT&T and 764. During the race Ince&Co held on as different boats battled with them for the lead. On the last lap with a shift to the right the fleet compressed with a grandstand finish. Ince&Co won followed by a recovering Readycrest, AT&T, MJF and 764.

Race 3 and in a steady force 3 with sligh port bias on the line. AT&T port tacked the fleet off the line. Readycrest led up the middle rounding first followed by 688, AT&T, Leaky Pipes (Gerry Brown/Chris Fermor). On the run Readycrest built a lead from 688 and AT&T. With Readycrest covering AT&T and Ince&Co, 688 took the lead on the second lap, sailing the wind lanes to perfection. Down the next run, they held on followed by Readycrest and AT&T with the order being held up the next beat. On the run it was all to change. With a line of wind (force 4) favouring those heading hard left, the fleet compressed at the finish. Going into the leaward gate Readycrest led but from the left came 764 then MJF. MJF gybed into the lead followed by 764 gybing on top of Readycrest. MJF won followed by 764 and Readycrest just holding off 776 (Dick Roe/Kate Dulieu) and 720 (Geoff Stones/Simon Buckley). This left many scratching there heads heading into the final showdown.

Going into Race 4 Readycrest (7) led from 764 (11), AT&T (12), MJF (12) and Ince&Co (13). Up the first beat the left paid with MJF rounding first followed by Ince&Co and 764. To the right AT&T and Readycrest found themselves on the wrong side and fighting back rounding 7 and 8.

Throughout the race, Ince&Co and MJF had a battle royal but Ince&Co took the bullet from MJF followed by 764. AT&T, Leaky Pipes and Readycrest were the next group with Readycrest getting the better of Leaky Pipes and finishing just astern of AT&T.

So once ashore the calculators came out. Who had won. Only when we got to the prize giving could all be revealed. Readycrest won on 12 points followed by the next 3 on 14 points.

A great weekend was had by the fleet and we would like to thank the club for their slick race management on Sunday and Lynda (Manager) and the Coxons for their hospitality on Saturday in accommodating the fleet training.

Next event is the Weston Grand Slam at Easter, which is looking like there will be a good fleet attendance.

Overall Results: