Cadets at the Waldringfield Sailing Club Cartoon Open - Day 1
by Juliet Dearlove 16 Sep 2012 20:10 BST
15-16 September 2012
Waldringfield Cartoon Trophy day 1 © Juliet Dearlove
Sixteen cadets took part in the Waldringfield Sailing Club Cartoon, enjoying light south-westerly winds of force 2-3 and glorious late summer sunshine. From a Committee Boat start at the Tips, the pin end of the line proved most favourable, the fleet swept by a strong flood tide. Mary Sacker made an impressive first Open meeting start, Faye Gosling immediately behind, overtaking to be the first to reach the windward mark, followed by Emma Spark, then Daisy Collingridge.
The white sail reach down river to mark "B" quickly turned into a spinnaker reach with the bend of the river. Daisy Collingridge took advantage of shallow water along the island, overtaking Gosling. Sam Yale also overtook Gosling on the run, holding this position into the second lap.
On the beat Collingridge and Yale pulled out a little from the rest of the fleet, changing places a few times in patchy winds (one gust resulting in a seasoned Laser sailor capsizing) with Collingridge taking line honours, Yale second and Gosling third.
The second race featured a similar course, and a fraction more wind, the windward mark moved a little downriver. The tide had now started to ebb. Gus Cooney, Cam Goodhead and Sam Yale enjoyed good starts at the Committee Boat end of the line, taking the right hand side of the beat, Cooney holding his position until the windward mark. Second around the windward was Faye Gosling, then Emma White. After the spinnaker run White had taken the lead, Cooney, Yale and Gosling close behind. Against a strong ebb it was slow progress in light airs, the Cadets hugging the river bank. Gosling tried a different tactic, launched her spinnaker and bore off towards the island, where there was more wind. The others soon followed, finishing on the Club Line, first White, then Gosling and third Cooney.
The third race was again a Committee Boat start from the Tips area. Ed Harris was OCS, accepting the recall. Emma White made a perfect pin end start and took the left hand side of the beat, closely followed by Faye Gosling. The fleet battled with shifty winds and a strong ebb tide, for a challenging but thankfully short race! The results of the third race were Collingridge first, Harris second and Gosling third.