Splash Open at Norfolk Broads Yacht Club
by Gavin Johnson 2 Apr 2007 08:22 BST
1 April 2007
Sunshine and wind greet the Splashes at Wroxham © Gavin Johnson
Sunshine and wind greeted us at Wroxham. With the open being this early in the season we had thew broad almost completely to ourselves and Wroxham in wind before the trees come into leaf is a wonderful place.
The first race of the three race series saw Tom Barker, Victoria Marfleet and Will Johnson pull away from the fleet in an order which remained constant until the last beat when Will using the full width of the broad grabbed second from Victoria in the last few feet of the race.
Race two was intriguing with Adam Barker taking an early lead with Chris Smith, Victoria, Will and Tom in hot pursuit. Chris took his chance gaining the lead from Adam at the leeward mark but chaos then ensued Tom Barker following a lift toward the shore seemed to have overtaken his brother when he managed to become entangled in a root (you had to be there) and went gardening on the island between the broad and the river Jonathan Holt sailing an excellent race hiked too hard and went swimming as his toestrap broke. Chris was worn down by Adam and Will who gradually worked themselves away from the fleet with Ian Richardson in third.
The result set up a grandstand final race which left five sailors in with a chance of overall victory. It was Victoria who stormed away in the last race to take an impressive race win but with Ian Richardson in second keeping Will and Tom in third and fourth. The places were always in doubt until Will went swimming at the leeward mark. Will Powell and James Moreley sailed past hotly contesting fourth place . The result was three boats on four points, Tom and Victoria both with one victory but with her final race victory it was Victoria who clinched the open.
As usual the welcome at Wroxham was as warm as the spring sunshine evn if there was still a chill in the wind. Our race officer for the day set some excellent courses showing what good racing is all about.
A big thankyou to NBYC for an excellent event and to all that sailors who attended.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Helm | Sail No | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | Pts |
|---|
| 1 | Victoria Marfleet | 2009 | WOBYC | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| 2 | Tom Barker | 1066 | NBYC | 1 | RTD | 3 | 4 |
| 3 | Will Johnson | 1756 | AWSC | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| 4 | Ian Richardson | 1627 | NBYC | 8 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| 5 | Adam Barker | 708 | NBYC | 6 | 1 | DNF | 7 |
| 6 | Chris Smith | 1626 | Dabchicks | 4 | 6 | 7 | 10 |
| 7 | James Morley | 2297 | Ulley SC | 9 | 5 | 6 | 11 |
| 8 | William Powell | 1660 | Dabchicks | 7 | 7 | 5 | 12 |
| 9 | Jonathan Holt | 1065 | Ulley SC | 5 | DNF | 8 | 13 |
| 10 | Emily Wood | 828 | Dabchicks | 10 | 9 | 9 | 18 |
| 11 | Ben Clegg | 2258 | AWSC | 11 | 8 | DNC | 19 |
| 12 | Rosie Johnson | 1068 | AWSC | 12 | DNF | 10 | 22 |