National 12 Burton Week 2012 at Hayling Island Sailing Club

Burton Week for the National 12 fleet at Hayling © N Copsey

Burton Week for the National 12 fleet at Hayling © N Copsey

50 boats were welcomed at Hayling Island Sailing club over the Jubilee weekend for their national championships. The crews experienced wind from every possible direction and a variety of sea conditions in everything from glorious sunshine and blue skies to relentless, driving rain!

Race 1

In a fresh to frightening south easterly breeze, having got off first time, the fleet was led by 12 newbies Tom Morris and Emma Porteous who showed great upwind speed. They were followed by last year’s winner Tom Stewart, this year with Andrea Ralph crewing. Unfortunately in such a breeze experience counts as downwind pace ruled: Stewart along with William Warren crewed by Sophie Mackley passed Morris on the first downwind leg. Sailing three rounds of a triangle, sausage course, the reaches were awesome, gybes- a high rate of attrition (with many opting for the tack instead) and runs... well frightening at times! Stewart showed why he was favourite in the windy conditions and went on take the race followed by William Warren and Sophie Mackley in the original Dead Cat Bounce. In third place were Graham Camm and Zoe Ballantyne.

Race 2

The breeze freshened further for the second race of the day and stamina really came into play. Tom Stewart and Andrea Ralph got off to a blisteringly fast start and kept William Warren and Sophie Mackley at bay for the entire race. Camm and Ballantyne worked their way up the fleet to come home with a third. Both of Saturday’s races were dominated by the t-foiling boats, with John and Mandy Thornton coming in as first non-foiling posting a 9th and 11th and when many of the single bottomed admiral cuppers had called it a day as they couldn’t keep the waves out, Peter Ballantine and Mary Henderson put in a tremendous performance to gain a 14th and 13th.

Race 3

A hearty BBQ on Saturday evening set the fleet up nicely for what was going to be a hard day on the water! A strong south westerly greeted the fleet on Sunday and caused capsizes throughout the day and throughout the fleet. In the first race of the day it was Steve Sallis with new crew Nix Middleton-Stewart who ruled the waves, whilst William Warren, still after the elusive bullet secured another second place, followed by Jon Ibbotson and Charlotte Stewart in third. Camm and Ballantune came in 4th after recovering from a capsize along the top reach. Further down the fleet Peter Ballantine led the admirals cuppers and in the vintage fleet the battle between Howard Chadwick crewed by Katie McInnes and Brian Kitching crewed by Thea Armstrong was eventually won by Howard’s aptly named 12 ‘Just Lucky’.

Race 4

With many of the older boats taking the option of heading home early, Race 4 saw a roomy startline with the usual suspects getting away quickly. William Warren and Sophie Mackley, determined to get the bullet were chomping at the heals of Tom Stewart and Andrea Ralph. The gybe mark though finally got the better of Tom and Andrea and gave William Warren the lead which he held on to for the remainder of the race. Graham Camm and Zoe Ballantyne stayed determinedly upright during this race to come in second, followed by newbie Chris Catt and his crew, a familiar 12 face, Ellie Martin. There was a close battle for first non-foiling between John and Many Thorton and Mark and Emma Simpson (with their unmistakable red jib!), with the Thorton’s just edging in front. When race 4 had ended though the fun had only just begun, with the fleet having to negotiate massive waves off the bar on an ebbing tide. Several masts fell victim to the extreme conditions.

After a wet and wild day on the water it seemed a suitable end to the day for the fleet to get on their Pirate costumes and enjoy a Pirates Party with entertainment from the Little Deep Band. Winners of the fancy dress were Nick Copsey and Tim Lupton who were inseparable in their cardboard Pirate Radio Caroline boat.

Race 5 – Sir William Burton Cup

One triangular course, 4 laps and a final beat - 13 miles!

The day dawned with a complete change of wind direction but with no lessening of strength as the fleet launched from the club in a northerly on the flooding tide. With the conditions looking as boisterous as the day before, as the fleet launched it was quickly apparent that the most important thing was to sort their rudders and bear off onto a run before they drifted into the heavy tide. Those that made it to the start area on the western side of the approaches to the estuary were rewarded with much calmer seas than the previous two days and an offshore breeze and richly varying strength.

The race was started cleanly and by the first windward mark Graham Camm and Zoe Ballantyne led with William Warren and Sophie Mackley close behind. Third were Jon Ibbotson and Char Stewart, with husband Tom and Andrea following in 4th, Chris Catt and Ellie Martin 5th. By the top of the second beat Will and Sophie had grappled back and passed Graham and Zoe, who rounded not far behind, Jon Ibbotson regaining his position from Tom and in the meantime Steve Sallis had entered the fray by passing Chris Catt, who was at the time in 4th. Lap 3 and things were changing constantly, though Graham and Zoe were starting to stretch their lead and show their dominance. Steve had got to 4th place, Chris Catt 5th, relegating Tom back to 6th as he suffered on the reaching legs. Coming round the leeward mark all initially chooses the right side of the course, but soon some were tacking off to play the percentages. Off the leading pack Dave Peacock was going very well in 8th place at the third visit to the windward mark, John and Katy Meadowcroft 9th, followed by the Dead Cat Bounces of Alex Jackson and Sarah Bines and Andy McKee and Douglas Mileham, John and Mandy Thornton following 12th, and first non foiler.

The reaches were mixed affairs throughout the fleet with gains and losses being made in the flukier winds closer to shore. Get in a gust and you could power away from trailing groups, but equally lose out in other situations. By the bottom reach of lap 3, Graham and Zoe held a commanding lead but the following pack were all battling for position, with close battles between Will, Jonno, Tom Steve and Chris. Rounding the leeward mark for the fourth lap, Will was holding 2nd, having regained position from Jonno. Further down the fleet, which was now spread across two legs of the course, private battles were ensuing between small packs of boats, some benefiting from the gusty reaches as they powered away from turning marks.

Back from the leading groups John Meadowcroft had a good fourth beat to return to 7th place, battling with Andy McKee, Alex Jackson and Dave Peacock. A little further back, John and Mandy were swapping places regularly with Tom Morris in his matching design Chapter (though with a foil), but John managing to roll Tom on the reach in a gust. Both were being closely pursued by Gavin and Rosie in his Paradigm 3, Tom Ballantine and Nicky Bass (3431) and local sailors Alan Roberts and Maria Stanley in borrowed New Isabelle (3418). Meanwhile 3003 sailed by Peter Ballantine and Mary Henderson where having their private battle with Nigel and Sophie White (3490) and Steve Adshead and crew (3449), but suffered on the reach as both Nigel and Steve planed past to windward, rolling Peter.

By the final reach big gaps were appearing in the leading group chasing Graham and Zoe who by this time, barring any incidents had a pretty unassailable lead. Tom Stewart had fought his was to second place, William Warren following behind and Jon Ibbtoson in third. During the final beat the wind had dropped and had become shiftier, with big gains to play for making the group have to think hard about their choices. Graham and Zoe are the 2012 holders of the Burton Cup, William Warren and Sophie Mackley 2nd, Steve Sallis and Nix Middleton-Stewart 3rd, Tom Stewart and Andrea Ralph 4th, Jon Ibboston and Char Stewart 5th. With Chris Catt and Ellie Martin coming in 6th.

Racing was followed by the inaugural Burton Cup Dinner. The Decanter Trophy, for services of the class, was awarded to Paul turner for his work on rejuvenated the Midland area series and his dedication to the vintage wing of the fleet.

Race 6

On the final day howling south easterly winds and an unfavorable tide made racing outside in the bay difficult, so the two final races took place in the estuary with tide becoming a key feature. It was a three horse race for the title between Tom Stewart and Andrea Ralph, William Warren and Sophie Mackley and Graham Camm and Zoe Ballantyne. Following a general recall in the first race of the day it was the locals who lead the way in the tricky water. The entire fleet went left to avoid the ferocious tide and Alex Jackson with Sarah Bines rounded the windward mark in first place. Alex eventually lost out to Graham and Zoe who had the speed on the reaches. Graham and Zoe were one step closer to the overall win when they took the bullet in this race. Alex held on to take second, with Tom finishing third, putting pressure on William and Sophie who, in fourth, needed to blitz the final race to hold onto their hopes of the championship.

Race 7

The decider. All was looking good for William Warren and Sophie Mackley as they led round the first mark, but they managed to capsize at the gybe, handing the lead to Chris Catt and Ellie Martin. On the beats it was a battle up the left side of the beat to avoid the tide and Tom and Andrea took the lead followed by Alex and Sarah. William and Sophie recovered well to work their way up to fourth and overhaul Graham and Zoe on the last beat, but another dodgy gybe let Graham and Zoe and Steve Sallis and Nix Middleton-Stewart through. Graham and Zoe sailed deep and fast to the last mark, passing Alex and Sarah to take third, behind the Dead Cat Bounces of Jon and Charlotte and Tom and Andrea.

Peter Ballantine and Mary Henderson, benefitting from the flatter water in their single bottomed Bouncer, not only took first admirals cupper in races 5 and 6 but also first non foiling. Meanwhile Tom Ballantine crewed by Nikki Bass continued with great form in his Feeling Foolish to come in ninth overall and take the under-21 prize. Graham and Zoe’s third place in the final race meant that they drew on points with William and Sophie, but with more race wins they took the Silver National title.

And so the class is looking forward to a brief break before the GILL series resumes on 23rd/24th June at Royal Harwich. With next years championship Burton Week in Brixham, which the class last visited in 2007, we are looking forward to see what developments and refinements will be next on the agenda.

For more detail about this years event, including further reports, images and video (still being edited but will be there soon) visit: national12.org/burtonweek/2012

Overall Results:
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