36th Bala Catamaran Open

The 36th Bala catamaran open was held over the weekend of the 4th 5th and 6th of May with a total of 21 boats entered, an increase of 1 from the previous year. There were 8 travellers, 3 making the long journey from Essex clubs including the current F18 National Champion Will Sunnucks who was sailing with his daughter Kate.

The sailing was to be dominated by the strong wind experts. Saturday's three races was sailed in a maximum of 33mph along with the notorious Bala gusts which took its toll on the fleet however it was the local heroes of Simon Flack and Lewis Bissell who lead the way round the course posting three 1sts. Will Sunnocks was second and Owen Cox who was third in the well sailed unicorn after the first day.

Saturday night was more than your usual burger in a bun barbeque with the ladies of the club having spent the day making coleslaw, potato salad and other accompaniments along with the men of the club manning the barbeque with a steady flow of real ale all of which made for a very memorial evening.

Sunday started where Saturday had finished with continued strong winds only this time Will was now sailing with local sailor Ian Dudley. After the first race when they posted a second to Flack's first they then went on to post 2 firsts ahead of Flack in second. Flack was now starting to look a bit worried. Other notable performances were Paul Warren in the F16 Falcon who consistently posted three 3rds in each race and Owen Cox with three 4ths. However by the end of Sunday 50% of the fleet was carrying either three or more DNF/DNS against 2 discards meaning a respectable result was going to be difficult to achieve.

Monday dawned the wind had dropped, the sun was out and Bala was now experiencing the same weather that had blessed the rest of the country. When the weather is this good there is nowhere else in the UK you would want to be. With the reduction it the wind it was now a chance for the remainder to the fleet who up until now had resigned themselves to standing on the shore and watching other people sailing to shine. None more so that Pete Findlay who was not sailing with his regular crew James due to a broken arm. So other club members along with Pete's daughter Jess had to take the place at the front of the boat. Pete went on to post 2 convincing 1st places with Paul Warren and Flack taken 2nd and 3rd in the 7th race and Flack and another local boat of John Tuckwell and Chelsea Furber taking 2nd and 3rd respectively in the 8th and last race of the series. Unfortunately Will Sunnocks had packed up and gone home due to family commitments. So Flack and Bissell had won the event from Will Sunnocks sailing with various crews in second and the Unicorn of Owen Cox in third.

In the blue fleet was consisted of the youth Dart 16's and Dart 15's it was equal points after 8 races with the pairing of Oli Cornforth and Mat Tute winning on count back from Alex Cleaver and Charlotte Person in second.

Again another good and well run event for this classic catamaran event. Attendance of the event has always been affected by Carnac which always attracts the hot shots of the cat fleet but it is always good to see grass roots sailors attending.

The event was again sponsored by insurance4dinghies by Towergate Mardon which for a small club such as Bala is always appreciated and necessary to assist in the running. The next big event of the club will be will be the Enduro incorporating F18 TT over the weekend of 20th and 21st of July.

Overall Results: