3000 class attends the Lyme Regis Regatta
by Nick Arran 24 Aug 2009 13:55 BST
1-2 August 2009
Five 3000s attended the Lyme Regis Regatta. Two races were held on Saturday and two on Sunday. The 3k's raced in the Fast fleet for the first three races and joined the massed start "championship of the day" on Sunday afternoon.
Saturday dawned wet and grey with low clouds hiding the jurassic cliffs. But the weather slowly cleared and a Northerly F3 picked up, producing the weird condition of waves and tide running against the wind.
Race 1: Nick and Patrick in 3604 kept up with the Fireballs for the first lap, lost them totally in the sausage legs of the course but still came home first 3000. A hard fought battle in the middle of our fleet gave second place to Ed and Chloe, 3rd to Stewart and Jenny in 3284 and 4th to Sam and Stu in 3113.
Race 2: Similar conditions to Race 1 but with the wind dropping throughout gave victory to Sam and Stu, 2nd to Ed and Chloe and 3rd to Stewart and Jenny. Nick and Patrick returned to base for emergency repairs following a pre-start altercation with a large cruiser, so DNC.
Sunday brought sunshine, a steady F3 and building waves.
Race 3: There were some surprised looks on the faces of the Fireball fleet as a mere 3000 appeared in the middle of them at the leeward mark. Great fast reaches, especially on the first triangle leg. First to 3604 again, followed by Sam and Stu, then Ed and Chloe.
Race 4: during lunch hour the wind picked up to a solid F4 promising F5, occasionally 6 and building swells. After a general recall and a black flag restart, the entire fleet set off in one go for a windward battle in broken chop and dirty wind. The Fireballs disappeared over the horizon and the 3000s found themselves racing the Scorpion fleet, Phantoms and Albacores. A bit of a capsize fest at the second mark as people attempted and mostly failed to launch kites in the now 2m swells. Barely in control reaches surfing waves down to the leeward marks with good racing against the Phantoms and Scorpions back up wind. First to 3604, second to 3181, 3rd to 3113.
A special mention to Jonny Chandler and Jonny Howard who sailed 3059 "UFB" incredibly well. They didn't do better than 4th, but it was close at times and considering an all up weight of under 15 stone that's an achievement. Most impressive was their voluntary retirement from race 4, returning home down 2m waves using just the main.
Overall Results:
1st - 3113 - Sam & Stu Denyer
2nd - 3181 - Ed Walker & Chloe Tucker
3rd - 3604 - Nick & Pat Arran
4th - 3284 - Stewart Patience and Jenny Persson
5th - 3059 - Jonny Chandler and Jonny Howard
All in all an excellent and most eventful event with a range of conditions and the delights of the Dorset coast thrown in.