Flying Fifteen Open at Clywedog Sailing Club
by Keith Rollinson 10 Aug 2009 13:49 BST
8-9 August 2009
A truly exciting weekend of close tactical racing was enjoyed by 8 Flying Fifteens including 3 Classics from the Clywedog fleet with sadly no visiting boats.
Two races were held on Saturday afternoon in a gentle north westerly with all the positions changing throughout with 3 boats; ff 3317 Bob & Hazel Rowley, ff 1855 Keith Rollinson & Jane Install and 3377 Mike Install & Dave Grant. having 5 points each at the end of the day and two more with 6 points.
Sunday dawned with mirror calm water and the first race was delayed until 11.30 when Race Officer Steve Gamman set a small triangular course in front of the clubhouse which resulted in much shouting at marks and penalty turns, great spectator sport! Bob & Hazel Rowley ff3317 scraped in 1st with Keith & Jane ff 1855 2nd and ff1457 Peter Jackson and Paul in 3rd.
The wind filled in after lunch and the RO set a long course down the lake for two back to back races.
Keith Rollinson & Jane Install ff 1855 jumped the gun and had to start from the back of the fleet but over the three laps fought back to win by a few seconds on handicap with Bob & Hazel Rowley ff 3317 in 2nd and Mike Install and David grant ff3377 in 3rd.
The last race was just as full of drama with a number of boats still in with a chance of victory and leading places being swapped during the race with Clywedog’s legendary wind shifts helping some and frustrating others.
The first home were Mick Edwards & Andrew Watson ff 3365 and 2nd Bob & Hazel Rowley ff 3317 and Keith Rollinson & Jane Install ff 1855 in 3rd.
Once the final scores were totalled there was still a tie for 1st place and the best discard had to be counted which gave victory to Keith & Jane in the classic ff1855 by just 1 point.
Overall Results:
1st ff 1855, Keith Rollinson & Jane Install, 5pts
2nd ff 3317, Bob & Hazel Rowley, 5pts
3rd ff 3365, Mick Edwards & Andrew Watson, 6pts
3rd ff 3377, Mike Install & Dave Grant, 8pts