Streaker Open at Hornsea Sailing Club

Streakers at Hornsea © Charles Cartwright

Saturday morning gave a sunny welcome to the 24 competitors for the 2015 Hornsea SC Streaker Open meeting. For some reason nearly everyone arrived in very good time – most unusual!

After a quiet briefing from RO Dave Berger, the fleet took to the water and sailed down the Mere to the start. The fleet got away cleanly – as usual – with Jon Aldous (Beaver SC) and Ian Bradley (Ouse Amateur SC) arriving first to the windward mark. Bradley took Aldous towards the wrong mark past the shallows, allowing Dan Phillips (Ripon SC) and Philip David (Yorkshire Ouse & Ripon SCs) to come through downwind into a lead that they stretched out through the rest of the race. Bradley got clear of the pack in third for most of the race but managed to catch David on the last leg just before the line to get second behind clear winner Dan Phillips.

After lunch and a course change the fleet started race two. Bradley took advantage of another clear start to arrive first at the windward mark from Ian Whitfield (Tamworth SC) with a lead he extended down the following run and then held for most of the race until he took the leading pack of Dan Phillips, Ian Lees (Scammonden Water SC) and Ian Whitfield to the wrong leeward mark. By the time the group realised their error the second group of Aldous, Matt Whitfield (Tamworth SC), Ben Ratcliffe and Richard Wood (Hykeham SC) had powered through to the correct mark and away down the reach. The course was shortened on the next beat giving Aldous the win by a good margin from Whitfield and Ratcliffe, with only Phillips of the original leaders getting through to fourth. This left the overall result wide open with at least 5 helms able to take first place.

Race three saw Bradley get away scot-free with parking on the line before the start and then Aldous and Peter Coghill entertained the fleet on the way to the first mark with an expert display of synchronised capsizes to windward, while Bradley followed the wind up the middle of the beat to a comfortable lead by the windward mark followed by Dave Butler (Welton SC) enjoying the slightly windier conditions. As Bradley gradually extended his lead to over a minute as the race progressed, Ratcliffe held off challenges from Phillips and Lees to finish in second.

It was good to see four ladies take to the water. First among them was Joy Read from Elton SC, who improved throughout the day and should certainly have had a prize – hopefully we'll get this to her at the Elton SC Open on May 9th! We hope to see more ladies on the circuit this year demonstrating the all-round appeal of the class.

With the racing all done, Hornsea SC Commodore Stephen Sharp presented the prizes to the victors. Winner of the SCOA virtual burgee was Jon Aldous from Beaver SC, whilst the top three received engraved glassware:

1st Ian Bradley – Ouse Amateur SC
2nd Dan Phillips – Ripon SC
3rd Ben Ratcliffe – Scammonden Water SC

The fleet then descended on the ample buffet provided by their hosts, agreeing that a good days' sail had provided close racing where, as a first timer at Streaker Opens commented, the slightest mistake could cost you five or six places due to the quality of the fleet. Could that be why we're now on a lower handicap than the Solo?