Javelin Open at Rutland Sailing Club

With a brisk south westerly blowing we were always going to be in for a treat. Rutland Sailing Club obliged by setting some excellent courses for the now traditional Javelin, FD, Osprey and Contender open.

In race one Brian and David Earl (558) always had just that little bit more speed taking first place from Richard and Kathryn Smith (566). Gavin Johnson and Matt Toone (565) fought off the attentions of Brian and Jonathan Dixon in (564) to take third place.

Race two proved to be the days spectacle race. The wind had built and become steadier in direction, Brian and David closely followed by Gavin and Matt arrived at the windward mark first but on Port Brian and David slipped round ahead of the pack but Matt and Gavin stayed there capsized. This may not have been the worst place to be as the next two reaches claimed a number of scalps. Brian and David had escaped into an unassailable lead with Richard and Kathryn in second the remainder of the fleet were closely bunched. For much of the race Nick Faulkener and John Meachen (561) being very fast upwind, gave Brian and Jonathan a serious race for third place Gavin and Matt were on a charge and after a wild three sail reach slipped past Chris Davies and John Wilkes (560) after a large gust obligingly sent Chris and John for an unwelcome swim then gybing at the windward mark they passed Brian and Jonathan on the next run to finish third.

At the leeward mark of the first lap in race three it looked as if the usual suspects would escape until Brian and David tacked under the bows of 565, manfully they did their turns but this allowed Richard and Kathryn and Gavin and Matt to escape the two boats split and converged but never did one fully escape the other. At the finish it was Gavin and Matt who took line honours from Kathryn and Richard.

We were woken early on Sunday with tents shaking in a healthy force 6. Some thought discretion the better part of valour, the remainder of the fleet ventured out to do battle.

The start of race four and all the way to the windward mark there was no splitting the three leading boats. At the windward mark Gavin and Matt opted for caution as the Earls and Smiths indulged in some close quarters tacking which resulted in Richard and Kathryn venturing off to execute turns. Gavin and Matt took the opportunity to generate a commanding lead nailed the gybe at the wing mark then half way down the second reach the world went wet and murky as their rudder collapsed. Time for the Earls to get a commanding lead. Richard and Kathryn were far from beaten. On the final triangle, and within reach of the Earls Richard and Kathryn suffered shroud failure while flying along with the kite up. This left Iain Davies and Jon Clements in 547 and Ben Fisher and Adam Chapman in 543 to chase the Earls. Having won the event by virtue of winning race four Brian and David Earl returned to shore for an early and very well earned bath.

Iain and Jon contested the final race with Ben and Adam both pairings sailing superbly in the conditions. Even more remarkable it was only Adam’s second day in a trapeze dinghy. Both crews returned to the shore with eyes like saucers and silly grins. Now a lot more needs saying of the event Becky Cross and Jane Partington whilst trying to avoid an errant Osprey managed to miss the Osprey but were dis-masted in the bear away (with the loss of Jane over the side while clipped on) and Peter Hayward with crew Gillian in their first Javelin event showed some excellent seamanship beating all the way from the dam back to the club under jib alone. The event was won by Brian and David Earl with Iain Davies and Jon Clements taking a thoroughly deserved second place from Ben Fisher and Adam Chapman in third.

Battered but happy we all returned home. What a way to end the season!

Overall Results: