A chilly though rainless day greeted this year's competitors and despite the usual traffic delays for travellers the planned first race start-time of 10.30am was only slightly delayed and the three races were completed prior to local club sailing commencing in mid-afternoon. The first two races were held back-to-back with a 'free' lunch before Race Three: the new system worked well enough.

Just half a dozen boats attended this year's West Midlands Police Sailing Dinghy Regatta. The week before, the forecast had been for plenty of wind but at 11am on the day, there was virtually no wind. Despite the day being grey and cloudy, this part of the West Midlands avoided the showers for most of the day.

The Race Officer, John Ashford had the main problem, deciding from which direction was the prevailing wind as it drifted in from one direction, then another. So, after a slightly delayed start, racing got under way.

The Annual West Midlands Police Sailing Dinghy Regatta was held at Bartley Sailing Club on Wednesday the 25th April 2007.

Strong winds greeted the competitors for this year's event. Somewhat more than had been forecast and by the time the first race started there were frequent spates of white horses blowing across the the water.

Race One got away reasonably well despite the Race Officer starting the countdown sequence with most boats still queuing up to get on the water. Eventually 9 boats got away to contend with a strong wind blowing from the south to follow a tortuous course round the reservoir.

Frances Gifford in her National 12, Ian Ingram in his Solo and Graham Cook in his RS200 fought their way up the first beat with others struggling to follow. Graham had brought son William as crew but the conditions were hardly the same as at Datchet and discretion became the better part of valour with an early retirement. Other retirements followed and there were just four finishers, led home by the National 12 both on the water and on corrected time.

Lunchtime followed with two more competitors arriving to make a fleet total of 11. Conditions were hardly better for Race Two but the course was simplified to a figure-of eight. The National 12 was again well away but this time closely followed by Dick Sivers in a Laser having decided a Radial rig for the day was more suited to the conditions. Another Radial sail was used by late arrival Stuart Jenkins having missed the first race and using Gary Phillips' rig. In the conditions - hardly suitable for lightweights - Gary had decided to change to crewing the RS200 with young William left safely on the bank. Just behind the leaders came the Solo and the RS 200 with a more stabilising crew. The National 12 slowly stretched out her lead temporarily coming to a halt when capsizing at a gybe mark. Second on the water was Sivers but Ingram scored a good second on corrected time.

Race Three followed and the wind still blew but hinted at becoming lighter. Gifford again in the lead by the first mark, this time followed by Cook in the RS 200. Sivers then followed but as the wind began to drop he was soon overhauled by Roger Glass with a full rig Laser also Ken Daniels in his Phantom. With somewhat easier conditions the fleet was able to enjoy a long race with no retirements.

R.S.

There was a splendid turn out at Bartley for this year's West Midlands regatta. 17 boats took to the water which is the highest number for some years.

The weather remained dry all day with light winds - some 6-8 knots in the morning and a little lighter in the afternoon. Wind direction was never constant and conditions became more flukey as the day went on.

There were three races; all to count. The first two races were held before lunch.

Race One found a number of competitors still making for the start at the gun with others trying to decide where the start line was. Nevertheless the majority of boats got away well with the RS400's finding the light conditions to their advantage. Rob & Liz Jones (Hampshire) in their RS400 crossed the finishing line over a minute ahead of the second RS400 sailed by Ian Ingram (West Mids). Frances Gifford (Met) in the National 12 managed to escape from most of the Lasers to gain 3rd place on corrected time. The race was exceptionally long with the last boat finishing nearly one and a half hours after the start.

After a short break, Race Two took place along the same course. The wind came and went, with patches of calm; positions changed throughout the race. This time the RS400's failed to get away from the fleet and Gifford with crew Peter Walker, having got clear of most boats on the first beat, were able to establish a firm lead on handicap. The race was short with the National 12 first, then Graham Cook (Met), a previous winner of this event, in the leading Laser gaining a 2nd place, 24 seconds behind on corrected time. Andy Taverner (Met), crossed the line just ten seconds after Cook to gain 3rd place.

Race Three, was sailed on the same course. With the wind even lighter at times also varying in direction, the race became much of a lottery. John Dickinson (West Mercia) got well ahead at the start only to find himself swallowed up by other boats working their way round the top mark. By the second lap, the beat had become a gamble in choosing which side of the course to go up. Ken Daniels (Met) in the Phantom found his sail area very useful in the fickle winds and escaped well from the gaggle of Lasers around him. By the end Ian Ingram had scored a 30 seconds victory over the second RS400 but on corrected time, Gifford's National 12 gained first place with Ingram 2nd and Daniels 3rd.

Albeit, wind conditions had been frustrating at times, Bartley remains a perfect early season introduction to the Police Sailing circuit. These days, when it appears so difficult to attract personnel to participate in police sport, it was good to see a number of new faces this year - Mark Cory & Andy Butler (Avon & Som), Adam Bunting & Nigel Woods (Avon & Som), Phil Osborne (Northants) plus Paul & Sheila Welsh (Cheshire) who received the prize reflecting 'The Spirit of the Event'.

R.S.

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Pictures of the Event

The Annual Sailing Dinghy Regatta of the West Midlands Police Sailing Section took place at Bartley S.C. Ten boats took part, representing five forces. Present were Cheshire, the Met, Northants, West Mercia & West Midlands.

Although the forecast had been for breezy weather, in Race One the wind stayed a fairly steady F2-3. Boats got away well from the start though Stuart Jenkins found himself over the line and was obliged to dip back and restart. The fast-handicap RS400 sailed by Ian Ingram and Mark Reddington got well away after the first mark and the mid-fleet comprising the Lasers became a fight between Nick Mason and Andy Taverner with John Dickinson in close attendance. Ken Daniels in his Phantom broke up the procession of Lasers but was unable to get away in the windy conditions.

For Race Two, conditions were fairly similar though sudden gusts were starting to appear. As in the first race, Bartley provided a 'lead boat' to indicate the way round the course which had a good number of marks. With a long first beat the art was to tack on the shifts and hope to choose the right side of the course. While the RS got away once more the Lasers were in close competition resulting in a capsize for Jenkins - the result of a near collision. The back-markers were finding the conditions difficult. Dave Ellis sailing a Laser and Matt Colston in an RS Viva having succumbed to capsizes, came ashore. The course was rather complicated and the RS found it difficult to establish a healthy lead which resulted in a corrected finishing time well down the fleet. Meanwhile, the lead among the Lasers changed often with Dickinson finally getting through to be first on handicap.

Races Two & Three were sailed back-to-back. By this time the wind had increased to F3-4 making conditions more difficult and there were some retirements. An additional rescue boat was also put on the water to cater for local club racing taking place during Race 3. With the usual jockeying for positions up the first beat, Ian Ingram was away clear with Nick Mason also getting clear of the fleet. The main group of Lasers endeavoured to catch Mason, who turned his early clear lead to advantage to record a race win with Ingram in the RS400, second.

The regatta was won by a West Midlands boat; the first time for many years. West Midlands Sailing Section always present a prize to the boat reflecting "The Spirit of the Event" and this year the recipient was Ken Daniels (Met).

R.S.

The Annual Sailing Dinghy Regatta of the West Midlands Police Sailing Section took place at Bartley S.C. Six forces took part - the Met, West Mercia, Avon & Somerset, Hampshire, Northants and West Midlands. Rather than the still,  summer conditions of the previous weekend, crews were welcomed by rain which continued throughout the day. However, the main ingredients were there for the occasion - a full reservoir and plenty of wind. Arrival at the regatta had been difficult for some, as numerous hold-ups on England's motorways made for late arrivals.

Races One and Two were held back-to-back. For Race One there was a distinct bias for the starboard end of the line and this caught some starters. With one or two newcomers to this event, the use of a ''leader boat' to guide the fleet round the course appeared a useful measure but with the guide taking the wrong course, the first race was abandoned and then re-run. After the re-start, the fleet tried to settle down to facing the conditions on the water. The course remained the same for both races, starting between Buoy 6 and a limit marker and making towards the clubhouse to round Buoy 8. From then on the course created a number of gybes and with the wind gusting and twisting the races were as much a matter of staying upright as beating the opposition.

The wind remained treacherous throughout the morning and there were a number of capsizes, which made for chilly wetsuits waiting between races. The fast boats of Rob Jones (RS600) and Ian Ingram (RS400) were finding the conditions difficult whereas the Lasers appeared to able to react quicker to the gusts. Both the morning races were won by a previous winner of this event, Graham Cook who persists in producing good results in his Laser which can kindly be described as somewhat 'beat-up'.

Bartley Sailing Club has excellent catering support and lunch was a welcome diversion. A few competitors were late onto the water and nearly missed the start of Race Three. The wind had veered slightly and the start line used Buoy 5. This time a much simpler course - and it was just possible to get round without gybing.  Conditions were no better and the wind continued to catch out the unwary. This prevented a procession and one was always in with a chance when others capsized. Brian Mermagen, well up at the start in the West Mids GP14, fell away after his second capsize of the day.

The final race had been a fight for second place overall between Nick Mason (Met) and John Dickinson (West Mercia). Whilst leading the Lasers on a dead run, Cook succumbed to a wind gust and allowed Mason to get ahead. The Lasers remained fairly close together on the water. Near the end of the race Dickinson also got caught out by the wind allowing Stuart Jenkins (Met) to get by and produce his best result of the day.

West Midlands always present a prize to the boat reflecting "The Spirit of the Event" and this year the representatives of Avon & Somerset were the deserving recipients.

R.S.

Ian Ingram once more won the trophy for the first West Midlands boat.

West Midlands Police Sailing Section held their annual Open Police regatta at Bartley Green - now known as Bartley Sailing Club, Birmingham.

Despite a misty start to the day, by the time the boats were on the water the sun was out and anybody still wearing a winter dry-suit was liable to suffer from heat exhaustion. A light wind which barely ever made Force 2 all day, nevertheless provided excellent conditions for the first police regatta of the year. Unlike last year, the wind never died but became somewhat fickle at times with slight variations in the wind direction making it a true test of light winds, inland sailing.

10 boats took the start line for the first race in which the RS400 of Ian Ingram and Mark Reddington (West Mids) found the light conditions much to their liking. Starting between the No. 8 buoy and a transit onshore the fleet made for C buoy. The early signs before the start had implied the the right side of the course would be more successful. However, the slight variations in wind direction gave Ian an excellent start  up the left side of the course from which he never looked back. Graham Cook (Met) led the Lasers up the centre of the course. His optimum weight for the conditions (11st) helped him deal well with the conditions particularly when the wind faded. Andy Taverner (Met) visiting Bartley for the first time got his best result, 3rd and Gary Walters (Met) in a Solo hanging in close behind the back Lasers also got his best result of the day, 4th. The Fireball of Richard Mansield & Pete Walker (Met) had trouble at the start and ended up in midfleet on handicap.

The second race was run before lunchtime. The wind was holding up enough to allow the Lasers to keep well up with the faster handicapped boats. Dick Sivers (Northants) just headed the other Lasers round the top mark but was soon to fall to the back of the fleet having succumbed to rule infringements. Meanwhile Graham Cook having re-rounded the top buoy, slowly established himself ahead on handicap to finish first. This time Richard Mansfield got well away to record an excellent 2nd with the RS400 3rd.

In Race 3, the wind hinted at being slightly stronger but still the variations in direction caught a few boats out on the first beat.  This was crunch time between the RS400 and Graham Cook in the leading Laser challenging for first place overall. Despite the RS and the Fireball getting well ahead on the water, Graham maintained his form and secured 1st place, and for the second year, First Overall. Ian Ingram ended up 2nd in the race and second overall. The GP14 of Bryan Mermagen and Carol Brown (West Mids) made all the right moves and making full use of the spinnaker legs, maintained a strong position for their best race of the day to finish 3rd. However, Andy Taverner was 4th, and with a better position than the Fireball in the final race, this gave him third place overall.

Ian Ingram won the trophy for the first West Midlands boat.