Cardigan Bay Regatta at New Quay Yacht Club
by Chris Seal 11 Sep 2023 14:32 BST
23-25 August 2023
Dinghy start line action at the Cardigan Bay Regatta 2023 © Dennis Fick and Fiona Best
Cardigan Bay was a great place to be sailing last week - and very different from the previous six weeks of rain and wind that marked a miserable summer break!
Numbers of competitors were up on 2022 - both for dinghies and cruisers - and the conditions were highly enjoyable. A feeder race from Fishguard on the Tuesday was won in light airs by Brainstorm (Chris Seal). The cruisers then enjoyed four more races in the bay while dinghies enjoyed three whole days of decent sailing.
In the non-IRC keelboat fleet (5 boats), using the Byron system, Carl Rich's Blythe Spirit (Parker 285) took the biscuit from Horizon (Davies family) and Cadenza (Jones family).
In the IRC fleet, Crawford McLeary's Sprite (Hawk 20), Steve Berry's Bobble (also Hawk) and Drychin Bach (modified Hunter Duette) of Jon Price-Jones had a great 4 days of competition swapping places behind Brainstorm (Chris Seal) and Rodmar (modified Fulmar 32) of the indefatigable and evergreen Christine Willis. With the series evenly balanced after 3 races, the last race was the decider. Brainstorm got a bit over-keen and was over the line and had to come back, effectively starting 3 minutes after the whole fleet. She clawed her way back to 2nd behind Rodmar. But it wasn't enough and Rodmar deservedly won overall - by only one point and 20 seconds of corrected time from Brainstorm. Great racing! Bobble, however, eventually came out on top of the chasing pack and was first Hawk, with Drychin Bach was first bilge keeler. The committee must be highly commended for agreeing to start the last race back-to-back to allow boats to get back on their moorings in time for a blustery northerly overnight. A level of flexibility that was most welcome.
In the dinghies, single-handers were dominant but the silverware was shared about. However, the clear winner overall was Alan Watkins in a well-sailed Blaze. Young gun and Welsh Topper squad member, Dan Powell, in a Topper was second overall and first youth. Not far behind was Jonny Everett in a Supernova. Local boy, Steffan Williams, continues make big leaps (into Welsh Topper Youth Squad) and won a prize for the most improved.
We are already looking forward to 2024 but please note a change in dates which are now 9-11 Aug 2024... please join us.
Overall Results:
IRC
1st Rodmar (mod Fulmar 32) Christine Willis (AYC/NQYC)
2nd Brainstorm (Super Seal 26) Chris Seal (NQYC/RAFSA)
3rd Bobble (Hawk 20) Steve Berry (NQYC)
Byron
1st Blythe Spirit (Parker 285) Carl Rich (NQYC/RAFSA)
2nd Horizon (Jeanneau Sun 2000) Rich Davies (NQYC)
3RD - Cadenza (Super Seal 26) Justyn Jones (NQYC)
Dinghies
Alan Watkins (Blaze) (Pembrokeshire YC)
Dan Topper (Topper) (Cardiff Bay YC)
Jonny Everett (Supernova) (Cardiff Bay YC)
Jack Harries (Phantom))
Paul Sadler (Std Laser/ICLA7) (New Quay YC)
Sirene Le Petit/Henry Powell (29er) (CBYC/New Quay YC)
1st Youth Dan Powell
1st Master Alan Watkins
www.cardiganbayregatta.co.uk