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The annual Cheshire Constabulary Sailing Club Open Meeting
took place at the Winsford Flash Sailing
Club. In the absence of the Met
contingent, there were still 8 boats competing, being supplemented by three
boats arriving all the way from Avon & Somerset - this then provided the
same number of boats as last year. Conditions were promising with bright
sunshine, no rain and light winds coming in generally from the north-west
which allowed the length of the lake to provide a good beat to windward.
With the wind up and down the lake, Racing was controlled from the onshore
Race Office with the Inner & Middle Marks used to form a Start Line and
requiring boats to pass between Inner & Outer Marks on each lap.
Race One: 3 4
1 OM 6 8
I/O
Race One got away gently with one
or two boats shy of the line. With distinct patterns on the water where the
wind was stronger a decision needed to be made as to which side of the lake
provided the best way to the windward mark. Sivers (Laser), one of the late
starters, alone opted for the right-hand side and managed to round Mark 3
with the leading boat, Ian Ingram in his Solo with Andy Cuddon close in the
second Laser. These three stayed close for the first two laps exchanging
positions as Ingram got away on the beats but was then caught up by the
Lasers on the downwind legs. Behind, Jeff Hines with a new crew, Mike
Beresford, kept the Comet Trio ahead of the rest. Over the finish line,
Ingram was a clear winner by 11 seconds from Sivers with Cuddon another 14
seconds behind.
Race Two: 3 2
5 1
6 7 8 I/O
After lunch, Race Two boats got
away together, again confronted with seeking out the best route as visual
patches of wind were interspersed with areas of 'holes'. This time Ingram
got clear away, seeking out the areas of wind and tacking frequently
as the wind changed direction. Cuddon followed, with Sivers and Puttock
(Laser) in close attendance. The wind began to strengthen slightly during
the race resulting in the odd capsize. Meanwhile the Solo stretched out an
unassailable lead whilst Sivers endeavoured to catch Cuddon. During lap 2,
the rest of the fleet fell into a hole whilst rounding Mark 2. Hines managed
to escape the pack but at the finish it was again Ingram 20 seconds ahead of
Sivers with Cuddon, this time having suffered from the odd patch of no wind,
a further minute and a half adrift.
Race Three: 3 2
6 7 I/O
For the first lap
winds were fickle and frustrating. Ingam found the Solo's fully battened
sail a great advantage when tacking as the wind varied and managed once more
to get out front in rounding the windward mark. This time the Comet Trio
found a smooth way up the beat to round just behind Sivers. By the
second lap, the fleet had stretched out and the odd stronger puff of wind
arrived catching one or two helms off guard. As gusts around Force 2 to3
arrived, Ingram's lead was shortened but he still finished over 20 seconds
ahead of the rest to make it 3 race wins in a row. It had been a good day
for the Solo, clearly besting the Lasers on corrected time.
R.S.
Cheshire Constabulary Regatta, 2007
Result
(2 races to count - 1 discard) |
Final
Position |
Helm/Crew |
Force |
Class |
Race
1 |
Race
2 |
Race
3 |
Points |
|
1st |
Ian Ingram |
West
Midlands |
Solo |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
2nd |
Richard Sivers |
Northants. |
Laser |
2 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
|
3rd |
Andy Cuddon |
Lancs. |
Laser |
3 |
3 |
4 |
6 |
|
4th |
Jeff Hines/
Mike Beresford |
Avon & Som. |
Comet Trio |
4 |
4 |
3 |
7 |
|
5th |
Rob Allen |
Cheshire |
Laser |
5 |
5 |
5 |
10 |
|
6th |
Carl Stevens/
Jeff Stratford |
Avon & Som. |
RS Vision |
8 |
6 |
6 |
12 |
|
7th |
David Puttock |
Avon & Som. |
Laser |
6 |
7 |
7 |
13 |
|
8th |
Paul Welsh/
Sheila Welsh |
Cheshire |
RS Vision |
7 |
rtd |
8 |
15 |
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Pictures of the Event
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Regatta Organiser:
DC 2234 Paul Meeson.
Force Operations Crime Unit,
HQ Crime Operations,
Cheshire Constabulary
Clemonds Hey, Oakmere Road,
WINSFORD.
Cheshire. CW7 2UA
Tel: 0773-608-5566
email:
Paul.Meeson@cheshire.pnn.police.uk
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