Illuminis RS Vareo Regatta and Rooster National Tour round 4 at Milton Keynes Sailing Club
by Paul North 23 Jul 16:40 BST
20-21 July 2024
illuminis RS Vareo Regatta, training, and Rooster National Tour round 4 at Milton Keynes © MKSC
The RS Vareo Rooster National Tour 2024 came to Milton Keynes Sailing Club for event number four, and the annual illuminis sponsored regatta on 20-21 July.
On the Friday before, a few sailors took part in a brilliant training day, coached by top local sailor John Carron. With the forecast light winds not arriving by 1100hrs, we spent some time running through starting and race theory before a decent enough breeze filled in for the first of three excellent on-water sessions, hampered only by the 30 degrees heatwave that arrived for just that day.
In the evening, we were joined by a few more arrivals and shared some al fresco pizza and a beer or two enjoying the first (and maybe only) balmy evening of the year.
Saturday's forecast of mainly Southerly 9-12 mph with some strong gusts proved pretty much on the nail, allowing Race Officer Tim Lewis and his team to set a windward-leeward course down the full length of Caldecotte Lake South.
In race one, with John's words from the training session ringing in my ears, I got a good start and following a helpful lift at the last minute, was first to the upwind mark, just in front of Luke Fisher, followed closely by Chris Abbott. Inevitably Luke found the lead on the downwind leg. Chris and I swapped second and third all through laps two, three and four with Chris finding a bit more wind on the final downwind leg to follow Luke over the finish with me third and John Carron close behind.
In race two, Dave Houghton got a flying start and never looked like being caught. Chris and Nick Crickmore led the chase but Luke soon got up to second from Chris at the line. Nick was having a testing afternoon with the shifts not helping him to find the groove.
At the back of the fleet Cheryl Wood, Dave Coulson, Serena Stewardson, Richard Foster and Mike Dicker were battling in a close contest swapping positions every lap. Mike sailing a boat he had literally bought "on the road" from Plymouth the previous evening, found one or two rigging issues and was glad of the mid-afternoon break for lunch to do a bit of bimbling.
Once again, the illuminis shore team of Marian, my sister Lu and wife Moira (cake maker extraordinaire) did us proud. Once refreshed and replenished we headed back onto the water.
Race three saw Luke showing us how it's done, somehow finding the wind channels that seemed to move all over the lake. He was pushed hard by Daniel Stewardson who had found his form. I managed to hold on to third before Dave Houghton came past on lap three and was to hold it until the line.
Luke got off to a good start again in race four but was passed by Nick, finally finding his mojo, on lap two. Luke got back to the front a lap later and with Chris pushing hard in third it was that way at the finish.
After a fish and chip supper and apple pie (kindly donated by illuminis' client Central Foods) and one or two beers talking through the day's racing, it was time to retire ready for three more races on Sunday morning.
In the days leading up to our regatta, we always watch the forecast keenly and hope we don't get a Westerly. This year we were disappointed! With a light WNW forecast, and then it arriving in time for the first race at 1030hrs, new Race Officer Keith King had little choice but to lay a pretty short course, more or less across the lake.
This did however lead to some close racing and with some very, very fluky shifts, along with strengths from 1-16mph all of which made for an "interesting" morning. One thing quickly became apparent - whatever worked in lap one was not going to work in lap two, let alone lap seven or eight! Such is inland pond sailing.
In race five, river sailor and light wind specialist Chris showed the skills that made him this year's National Champion, leading from start to finish and lapping a few at the back finding the going tough. Luke was never far behind with Nick in third for most of the race, despite being ninth after lap one but finding a lift not seen by most. He was closely followed by Alan Bassett who was finding the going tough but much better than Saturday.
Race six saw Luke find the best wind out to the right, getting to the mark first and never looking like being caught, despite several moments when the wind just died completely. Chris followed round in second with Nick and John having a decent battle until John got becalmed right on top of the windward mark on the last lap and dropped down to seventh.
At the back Serena was beginning to enjoy the RS Vareo, moving further up the fleet and in the final race had a brilliant start, found the best wind and was first to the mark. Luke and John found good speed downwind but on lap two Nick got past and held the lead for three laps before Luke fought back to take the win with John just behind in third.
Back on shore it was time for more hospitality and cake before the prize-giving. This year's mayor of Milton Keynes, Marie Bradburn, having arrived in time to watch the final race, thanked the competitors for travelling to our great city and presented prizes to all of the competitors.
Very many thanks to all the volunteers at MKSC without whom our event would not be possible. And of course, thanks to Rooster for their generous sponsorship of our tour.
Results:
1st Luke Fisher, Emberton Park SC
2nd Chris Abbott, The Nottingham SC
3rd Nick Crickmore, Waveney & Oulton Broad YC
4th, and Rooster Winner, Paul North, Milton Keynes SC
5th Dave Houghton, Great Yarmouth and Gorleston SC
6th, and Silver Fleet Winner, John Carron, Milton Keynes SC
7th Alan Bassett, Pevensey Bay SC
8th, and Rooster Mid-Fleet Hero, Daniel Stewardson, Emberton Park SC
9th, and Rooster Endeavour, Richard Foster, Great Yarmouth and Gorleston SC
10th, and First Lady, Serena Stewardson, Emberton Park SC
11th, and Distance Award, Mike Dicker, ASA/TISC
12th Cheryl Wood, Pennine SC
13th Dave Coulson, Haversham SC