Cheshire Constabulary Regatta,
Tuesday, 20th September, 2005
Winsford Flash Sailing Club

The annual Cheshire Constabulary Sailing Club Open Meeting was held at the Winsford Flash Sailing Club. 16 boats took part in the most attended Cheshire event for some years including some fresh faces on the police sailing circuit. Lasers were very much in evidence making up 9 of 16 boats taking part.

Earlier the forecast had been for indifferent weather but the day dawned bright and improved throughout the regatta. From early morning the light airs slowly filled in but the winds barely made Force 2 throughout the day. This made for lots of concentration required to make ones' way round the courses.

RACE 1, Course: Start=IM/MM, 3 2 5 6 7 8 IM/OM.
In Race One boats got away well with the faster rated boats to be the first confronted with making the top mark (Buoy 3) in as few tacks as possible - a tricky and frustrating exercise which continued throughout every race. Alex Piggott (Notts) sailing a Fireball managed to get away well from the rest of the fleet, having a good lead over Graham Cook (Met) in a Laser after the first lap. In the light conditions the asymmetrics were finding the going difficult. Ken Daniels (Met) in a Phantom made his way through the fleet to be second over the finish line. On corrected time the winner was Piggott by just over 1 minute with Cook second and Daniels third a further 20 seconds adrift. 4th was Andy Taverner (Met) sailing a Laser. The wind being light there were no  mishaps this year though Kevin Green (Met), Laser was obliged to retire with a faulty tiller.

RACE 2, Course: Start=Boat/8, 3 2 4 1 5 7 8 IM/OM
After a splendid lunch, competitors returned to the water to start Race Two by Buoy 8 and make their way upwind to Buoy 3, then zig-zag their way back down the water. The fitful wind, filling in from first one direction, then another, made tacking decisions difficult. On the first lap the Fireball had to tack some twenty times to make the top buoy before getting a firm lead. The wind made rounding conditions difficult and there was some shouting as boats sorted themselves out. Behind the Fireball a cluster of Lasers together with the Phantom fought their way together round the course and Cook eventually overtook Roger Glass to maintain a lead over the bunch throughout the race. He narrowly missed first place on corrected time by 19 seconds. With close finishes, Daniels, third over the line dropped to 7th on corrected time giving third place to Glass, compensating for his retirement in the first race.

RACE 3, Course: Start=Boat/8, IM/OM 3 4 1 OM 8 7 IM/OM
With Piggott now having two firsts to his credit, Race Three became a fight for final places. In tricky winds the Fireball failed to get well clear and the race became a close competition between Glass, Stuart Jenkins (Met, Laser), Cook, Daniels and Taverner. These five boats remained fairly together throughout the race despite Daniels having to perform circles on a rule infringement. Jenkins attempted to commit the only capsize of the day as the wind suddenly dropped, tipping him in to windward and taking him out of the main contention for places. On corrected time Cook won the race by almost 1 minute with Taverner second and Daniels just 18 seconds further behind.

Prizes for all were presented by Jo Miller bringing to the end a splendid event which remains a highlight in the police sailing calendar.

R.S.

Regatta Organiser:

DC 2234 Paul Meeson.
Organised Crime Unit,
HQ Crime Operations,
Cheshire Constabulary
Clemonds Hey, Oakmere Road,
WINSFORD.
Cheshire. CW7 2UA
Tel: 07956-235324
email: Paul.Meeson@cheshire.pnn.police.uk