LASER & DINGHY SAILING CHAMPIONSHIPS

RUTLAND WATER

19^th – 21^st September, 2012

The first day is dedicated to the PSUK Laser Dinghy Championships. This year there were 13 boats, which is about average over this last decade. Although some anticipated Laser sailors were missing this year, there were some new faces to compensate. Early morning conditions looked comfortable but by the time the fleet got out onto the water the wind had risen somewhat which lead to the odd capsize prior to the start of the first race. Two entries opted for the Radial rig. The good news was that the wind was never as strong as the previous year, when some entries never even made the start line. For all three races the Race Officer set a reversed 'P' shaped course.

The First Race got away on time and with a slight bias on the starboard end of the line as a result of which a few boats found themselves over the line and were obliged to re-start. With a Rescue Boat leading the way to the first mark, those who had opted for the left side of the beat found themselves freeing off to approach the buoy. Within a short time Simon Hawkes had established a lead leaving Tony Hyland and Paul Heath fighting it out for second place. Behind them, positions changed as a number of capsizes put paid to early gains. At the finish Hawkes was well ahead only to find out later that he also had been over the line at the start. This gave the win to Heath with Hyland second, Andy Taverner third and John Oldham a creditable fourth. Nick Mason, expected to be among the leaders, failed to finish after having rudder trouble.

Race Two found the wind still strong but shifting in direction as a vicious rainstorm came down the lake. At the gun, those in the know realised that a port end start was favourite. The usual suspects were once more stretching out ahead, this time with Mason well in the fray. Meanwhile Hawkes was confronted with a problem. The tail of his kicker rope-pull had got wrapped round and round in the mainsheet pulley with the result that it became virtually impossible to release it as the kicker was already under stress and couldn't be freed. This put paid to his race - and, with an OCS from Race One - his day. Meanwhile Heath, Mason and Ash Johnston (Lancs) vied for positions and finished in that order. Steve Brisley (Cleveland) had his best race of the day, finishing 4th.

With Hawkes out of the picture, Heath with two firsts and Dick Sivers deciding on an early bath, just ten boats were on the start line for Race Three. Second and third overall positions were yet to be decided and this look liked being a battle between Hyland, Mason,  Johnston and Andy Taverner. Again, a port end start looked possible but just two boats took the opportunity - Sean Moore and John Oldham. Christian Hill with his Radial also Johnston made the best starts from the starboard end of the line. The wind was easing somewhat as the afternoon progressed. Mason, having replaced his rudder went about establishing a lead whilst Moore, having had an excellent first beat pressed from behind. At the finish Mason was first, Moore second and Johnston third.

Congratulations to Paul Heath who last won the event in 2008. Nick Mason was second overall with Ash Johnston in his first PSUK regatta, third.

Click Here to view Laser Results

Click Here to View Pictures

of the Laser Regatta

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And so to the two day PSUK Dinghy Championship which is run as a handicap event. Five races; four to count with one discard.

Twenty boats was a little disappointing for the organisers; this may be due to previous competitors take Leave after duty commitments during this Olympic year. Nevertheless nine Forces were represented and although some familiar faces were missing this year, there were some entries new to the championships.

By the time racing started, the prevailing west wind strength indicated that crews could be working hard throughout the day. The Race Officer, Richard Johnson decided on what he described as a trapezoid course; a sort of rectangle then. The courses thus comprised a long beat, a short reach, a long run, then another short reach with the requirement to go through the 'gate' on each completed lap which enabled slower boats to be finished at the around the same time as the faster finishing dinghies.

Race One start went well with no-one over the line. Next, the decision whether to take the left hand side of the course or the right. Though the wind promised to vary some 20-40º, the right side paid off in principle and a fair mixture of boats headed round the windward mark together. As a natural progression, the faster rated boats soon got clear of the main fleet with the gaggle of Lasers gaining on the reaches but losing out on the runs. For the first lap the downwind leg was a run on starboard tack but this slowly changed during the race to a dead run which should have given the benefit to asymmetrics except that they were hardly in evidence this year. On the water the race became a battle between Frances Gifford & Pete Walker in the Merlin Rocket and the Osprey helmed by Nick Mason (Met), crewed by Simon Hawkes (Avon & Som.). The race was concluded after the faster boats completed 4 laps whilst others were finished after three laps. Gifford was the clear winner on corrected time beating the Osprey, which had suffered with spinnaker pole problems throughout the race less than 20 seconds behind. The best of the rest was Geoff Norman (Notts) in one of two Contenders taking part with Tony Hyland the leading Laser. Sean Moore was the first Leicestershire boat.

After lunch, two races back-to-back. The wind remained strong and a similarly shaped course was used though buoys were moved, as the wind had altered. The Race Officer decided on longer races for the afternoon; there would be some tired bodies at the end of the day.. Again, a clean start for Race Two albeit there was some pressure at the starboard end of the line. The first boat finished almost on the hour having completed five laps. This time it was Mason who won on corrected time - and this also by 20 seconds from Gifford with Norman again third. Andy Taverner was the leading Laser and Lee Hill a surprising best Leicester boat.

In the period between races some boats took the opportunity of resting in the lee of a lakeside copse where there was little or no wind. But escaping the windless patch of water became more difficult than anticipated and one or two boats were late for the start. But the rest may have been worth it as the last race of the day was finished well over the hour. After five laps, Mason and Hawkes on a roll, beat the Merlin by a minute and a half on corrected time with Norman third once more. Steve Brisley, finished in the Laser after 4 laps, was fourth just the odd 10 seconds behind Norman.

After four races, all looked set for a Mason/Hawkes championship.

For Day Two of the Dinghy Championship the winds were much lighter. Rain was forecast for late morning. Again an oblong course for Race Four of the championships with the Race Officer planning for a three-quarter hour race then the last race, an hour. As it was, the start was delayed quite a while whilst the wind constantly changed direction from west to south-west. And, with the lighter wind, fortunes would change for many competitors.

After another good start for Race Four. It looked promising to take the right side of the beat but nearer the windward mark tacking became a gambling game as boats certain to make the mark on a certain tack found themselves falling away. It took time to negotiate the buoy and set off on the reach. The wind continued somewhat light and varied. As the race progressed, such were the conditions that boats who had struggled to succeed in wind on the previous day, were now finding conditions more conducive to a better result. In particular Henry Scutt with Lee Maughan in the Warwickshire Enterprise had their best result and Tony Hyland would finish finish the race in third place; his best result so far. Ken Daniels in the only Phantom this year had changed his sail for the day and was going better even if the wind almost died, then changed around completely for later finishers. Meanwhile at the front, Frances was on the tail of the Osprey to finish well over a minute ahead on corrected time. Hyland was third and Moore an excellent fourth. For most boats the 3 lap race had taken well over an hour.

The wind had turned almost 180º so the course was set in a different part of the water. With the last race to go, final positions were very much in the lap of the gods. Both the Merlin Rocket and the Osprey were on 6 points and set for first or second overall. Third overall was up for grabs between Norman's Contender on 16 points but he had not done so well in the lighter conditions — but did have 3 third places in the bag. In the frame also were Tony Hyland looking promising for the last race but on 25 points and Steve Brisley with 20 points also Andy Taverner on 24 pts. John Oldham with a 10th in Race Four had rather put himself out of contention. The light conditions evidently favoured the Merlin and maybe a high scoring Laser could grab third overall.

By Race Five start, the rain had set in. In the three lap race Gifford forged ahead to finish 2 minutes ahead of Mason which gave her a 1 minute lead on corrected time. Hyland was third  and Andy Taverner fourth. A number of competitors had their best race including Paul Franklin (6th) Ken Daniels (7th) and Paul Matthews/Michael Dean  (10th) in the Nottinghamshire RS Vision.

The final calculations indicated that Frances Gifford had a nett 5 points over Mason's 6 points. With Hyland gaining another third place in the race, he and Norman were both on 16 points but on count-back kept his third place overall despite a disappointing last day.

Congratulations to Frances Gifford and her able crew Pete Walker. In the varied conditions you can't do much better than 3 firsts and 2 second places.

After the event, on behalf of the Leicestershire Chief Constable, Police Inspector Kam Mistry of Rutland presented the prizes.

Details for next year's PSUK Dinghy Championships are still to be confirmed. The hosts will be West Midlands Police.

 

Click Here to view Dinghy Results

PSUK National Dinghy Sailing Championships Trophy Winners 2012
Sunderland Trophy	1st Overall	Frances Gifford/ Pete Walker	Met.
Police Review Trophy	2nd Overall	Nick Mason/ Simon Hawkes	Met/ Avon & Somerset
Merseyside Trophy	3rd Overall	Geoff Norman	Notts.
Bala Trophy	Winner of First Race	Frances Gifford/ Pete Walker	Met
West Midlands Trophy	Winner of Last Race	Frances Gifford/ Pete Walker	Met
Lancon Bell	Not Contested - the trophy is being returned to Lancashire Constabulary
Mark Peers Trophy	Not Contested - the trophy is to be temporarily held by MPSC for referral to the donator
Laser Trophy	Highest Placed Laser	Tony Hyland	Met
Maiden Trophy	Highest Overall not having won a National Trophy	Nick Mason	Met
Spinnaker Trophy	Highest Placed spinnaker boat	Frances Gifford/ Pete Walker	Met
Asymmetric Trophy	Highest Placed asymmetric boat	Paul Matthews/ Michael Dean	Notts
Seagull Trophy	First slow handicap boat	Richard Sivers	Northants
Laurenson-Batten Trophy	Highest Single-hander	Geoff Norman	Notts
Lakeland Trophy	Highest Retired officer	Geoff Norman	Notts
"Spirit of the Event"	Trophy awarded for the last  boat which completed all sailed races	Johnny Monks/ Brendan McGrath	Leics.
Laser Champions Trophy	Winner of the PSUK Laser Championship	Paul Heath	Gtr Manchester
Laser Championship plaque	Second place in the PSUK Laser Championship	Nick Mason	Met.