Live from Burton Week 1999 - Pevensey Bay
The national 12 championships is being held on the South Coast at Pevensey Bay S.C. from the 14th to the 20th August. Eight races will be sailed during the week with two discards taken into account for the overall "silver national" results. The premier race of the week is the "SIR WILLIAM BURTON CUP", to be raced on the Tuesday. This is a gruelling but challenging event, raced over four laps of a triangular course with at least 1 mile between marks! Keep checking the website for daily updates on the races, socials, gossip and overall results! |
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There are many other subsidiary trophies to sail for during the week, these ensure every competitor has something to aim for.
Money cup | lady helms |
Corrigan cup | youngster (born on or after 17th august 1978) |
Canter trophy | oldies (born on or before 17th august 1959) |
Clinker trophy | helms who are racing boats built by themselves |
Coronation cup | first married couple in the burton cup race |
Arrows trophy | burton week first timers |
Joe yorke trophy | helms who have sailed 2 or more burton weeks, but have never received a silver national prize or finished in the top 6 |
Tubs trophy | for those with a combined weight of over 21 stone |
Admiral's cup | for old boats (boats registered before 1986, excluding baggy trousers) |
Gipsy trophy | the club with the best 3 placed boats |
Fifty five trophy | really oldies (born on or before 17th august 1944) |
Gill super cup | first crew in the burton cup |
Arthur oxborough salver | winner of the burton cup |
Royal thames yc trophy | crew of the winner of the silver national (whole event) |
Cross wins trophy | most improved sailor |
Burton brick | awarded to the most "entertaining" performance of the week (prefferably sailing related) |
Practise race - Saturday
Competitors arrived at Pevensey Bay Sailing Club this morning. The dinghy park was soon full of many shiny new boats, familiar faces and lots of new faces too. Our most intrepid explorer, Marcus Wheel, braved a 15 hour journey on the motorway down from Scotland. Royal Harwich have a large turnout, especially the younger ones.
People to watch
out for:
-Malcolm Mackley with his new improved jib boom (picked up tips
from
the asymmetrics and got a bowsprit!) -Purple boats galore (it's
the fastest colour, honest!)
-Ben Brown and Maria Mallender's lime green apparition
-Will Henderson has been spotted in the dinghy park
-Chris Mayhew and Andy Pickrell sporting shorter 'go faster'
haircuts
The Practice race
Two hours before the start, the rain started and it continued throughout the race (lovely...). The wind was a force 2-3 northwesterly with a moderate swell. The fleet got off to a close start, with only one general recall. Alan Bax had a confused moment on the start, finding himself in irons at the critical moment. Terry and Angela Cooke were well ahead by the windward mark, but were overtaken down the second reach by Robin Wood and son Ben (micro crew) in his Baggy, Stumpy. Antony Gifford made an early bid for the Burton Brick by cowboying in at the windward mark and then jumping out of the boat, which capsized, causing a large obstruction for the rest of the competitors. Robin lost first place to Tom Stewart on the run approaching the leeward mark on the second lap. In true practice race style, most of the top half of the fleet then retired at the leeward mark.
Marlow Rope Salver - Sunday
Burton week first race for the Marlow Ropes Salver.
The sun shone over Pevensey Bay today as the fleet went afloat. The fleet got away first time in a freshening force 2/3 westerly breese on what proved to be a long first beat.
Terry and Angela Cooke sailing 3419 mistook the leward mark for the windward and lost a good lead. Steve Adshead lead by a good margin at the first mark only to be passed on the second reach by Antony Gifford who lead till just before the windward mark when Terry and Angela Cooke got ahead.
The increasing wind strengh took its toll on the fleet and there were several retirements with only 39 finishers.
A swim by Gifford and Bailey at the start of the run let Tom Stewart through into second place which he held until the finish. He was closly followed home by Will and Mandy Henderson sailing their Baggy "New Isabelle", Jon and Charlotte Ibottson finished fourth with Chris Mayhew and Helen Hilditch fifth and Ian Gore and Leslie Iles sixth.
Robin Wood crewed by Ben were first in the Arrows for first timers at Burton Week, Caloline Martin was first lady helm and Oliver Woolgar leads the Corrigan Cup for under 21.
The forecast for Monday the second day of the Silver National is for lighter winds.
Centenary Trophy - Monday am
The Monday morning started with a clear sky but absolutely no wind at all. At 10am the wind started to fill in from the South West. Bim Daser was pathfinder and banged the right hand corner and looked good initially sailing into slacker tide but also caught poorer wind near the shore.
The bulk of the fleet left the gate late. Mike Shallow looked good off the line with Chris Mayhew & Helen Hilditch on his tail. Mayhew played the shifts well in a strong tide to overtake Shallow on the first beat and round the first mark first with a comfortable lead. Robin Wood rounded second and with micro light crew (son Ben) almost took Mayhew on the second reach. The tide on the second beat brought the front pack together (inc. Caroline Martin, Jon Ibbotson). The race was shortened to two laps (to accommodate a two race day!). Mayhew consolidated his position and sailed on to take the bullet. Antony Gifford banged the right hand corner and came from nowhere to pip Ibbotson and snatch second at the finish.
Port of Plymouth Cup - Monday pm
Race 3 was sailed immediately after race 2 on the Monday in a force 3 -4 in bright sunshine and a moderate sea. The gate was opened by Nigel Playford, Jon & Charlotte Ibbotson made an early break on the left hand side of the beat but Tom Stewart and Liz Ross made better use of the shifts in the middle against a strong tide and lead round the windward mark with Steve and Izzie Adshead close in second with Chris Mayhew and Helen Hilditch in third.
Stewart and Ross got away on the reach and maintained the lead all the way to the leeward mark whilst Mayhew overtook Adshead. These two boats took advantage of the clear breeze and made use of the shifts in the middle of the beat to pull away in a decreasing tide. The Ibbotsons overtook the Adsheads on the beat to take third.
Sir William Burton Cup - Tuesday
Tuesday 17 August - Sir William Burton Cup
This is traditionally raced over 4 laps on a triangular course with 1 mile legs. The race was started after a delay of an hour during which the wind settled down to blow from the south west, force 4 and increased throughout the race.
The fleet split into those heading inshore into less tide and those who stayed offshore looking for the forecast windshift. Both groups coming back evenly at the windward mark. Chris Mayhew and Helen Hilditch N3437 set off down the first reach followed by Tom Stewart and Elizabeth Ross N3448. At the first gybe mark Jon and Charlotte Ibbotson N3445 and Terry and Angela Cooke capsized, letting the leaders get away, with Jon Brown and Jane Jones N3426 and Will and Mandy Henderson N3418 in pursuit. Stewart and Ross overhauled Mayhew & Hilditch before the leeward mark to take the lead which they extended through the race to win by approx 3 minutes.
The race for second place was hotly contested by the Hendersons, Paul Pelling & Ian Simpkins N3429 and Antony Gifford and Rich Bailey N3431 with the Hendersons finally pipping Pelling to the finish.
Much of the race was sailed in large waves and wind strengths of between 15 and 25 knots which gave some of the most exciting and exhilarating racing possible.
Positions
1. Tom Stewart and Elizabeth Ross N 3448
2. Will and Mandy Henderson N3418
3. Paul Pelling and Ian Simpkins N3429
4. Antony Gifford and Rich Bailey N3431
5. Steve Sallis and Clare Rabbitts N3436
6. Jon Browny and Jane Jones N3426
7. Steve and Isobel Adshead N3439
8. Mike Hoyle and Natalie Jobling N3438
9 Jon and Charlotte Ibbotson N3445
10. Terry and Angela Cooke N3419
Borough of weymouth cup - Wednesday am
The forecasts for Wednesday were somewhat conflicting, the TV predicted a nice force 5 with beaming sunshine whilst the MetFax warned of a squally force 8. Unfortunately the conditions at Pevensey reflected the latter and racing has been abandoned. This is giving much of the fleet the welcomed opportunity to repair boats, masts, rudders etc following Tuesday's blast! The remainder of the fleet has just block booked the Mega bowl for the afternoon (for those sailors who are not putting their boats back together or fine tuning their spreader angles).
Paul cooke trophy - Wednesday pm
Not sailed yet!Borough of scarborough cup - Thursday
Thursday morning started with an excellent force 4 breeze, nice waves and bright sunshine. Following a short postponement, the race was started in 20 knots of breeze. Terry and Angela Cooke N 3419 were pathfinders so the bulk of the fleet started late. Ian Gore and Lesley Iles N 3441 made the early running and crossed the majority of the fleet on port. With the tide slack, playing the shifts up the middle of the course paid and Tom Stewart and Elizabeth Ross N3448 arrived at the windward mark first and held their lead throughout the race.
The race for second, third and fourth was tight throughout the race with Jon and Charlotte Ibbotson N 3445 taking two places on the second beat to sail into second place ahead of Jon Brown and Jane Jones N 3426 and Gore & Iles. Paul Pelling and Ian Simpkins N 3429 made good ground through the race, pulling up to third place by the end of the run.
By the second gybe mark, Pelling & Simpkins had just managed to overhaul the Ibbotsons, holding their lead to the leeward mark and then retaining second place to the finish, ahead of the Ibbotsons, with Gore & Iles finishing in fourth place.
The plan for Friday is to start at 10am and sail the remaining three races.
Results
1. Tom Stewart & Elizabeth Ross N 3448
2. Paul Pelling & Ian Simpkins N 3429
3. Jon & Charlotte Ibbotson N 3445
4. Ian Gore & Lesley Iles N 3441
5. Will and Mandy Henderson N 3418
The main event of the day was the Man 'O' Man competition. 10 entrants took part for this prestigious event for the amazing prize of a toy motor bike!
The first round of 'Free Dance'resulted in Tom Stewart, Rich Bailey and Steve Lightfoot receiving a watery finish.
The next round was a set dance piece to 'Hot Stuff!' - as demonstrated by five gorgeous girls. This resulted in Jon Brown and Jon Thompson receiving the drenching.
The third round involved a cappella singing to Oasis songs, Ian Woodgate was expelled immediately for not knowing any Oasis tunes whilst Charlie Baxter received a wetting for poor tonal consistency.
The final 'personality round' saw Ed and Alex eliminated for poor chat up lines leaving Sam Sutton as the Burton Week National 12 Man O Man!
Scarborough yacht club salver - Friday
Friday started with a very light offshore breeze and beaming sunshine. In attempt to squeeze in three races we left the beach at 9am for a 10am first start.
The Borough of
Weymouth cup was sailed in a light North-Westerly breeze. At
the first mark Robin and Ben Wood rounded in the lead followed
by Jon and Charlotte Ibbotson then Will and Mandy Henderson.
At the wing mark the Woods had built on their lead and Chris
Mayhew and Helen Hilditch had overtaken the Hendersons to round
third. The lead on the second beat changed hands many times between
Paul Pelling with Ian Simkins, the Woods and Mayhew with Hildtich,
and the Ibbotsons. Pelling and Simkins rounded first. On the
run Tom Stewart and Liz Ross caught up the leading pack. The
order at the leeward mark being ; Pelling and Simkins, the Woods,
Ibbotsons, Mayhew and Hilditch, Stewart and Ross. While the rest
of the leading pack tacked back through the running fleet, Mayhew
and Hilditch went for clear air and took line honours, followed
by Pelling and Simkins, then the Ibbotsons.
1. N3437 Chris Mayhew and Helen Hilditch
2. N3429 Paul Pelling and Ian Simkins
3. N3445 Jon and Charlotte Ibbotson
4. N3418 Will and Mandy Henderson
5. N3377 Robin and Ben Wood --------
Just before the start of the second race, for the Scarborough Salver, the wind started to drop. The Race Officer held his nerve and got the fleet away, but the breeze soon died away to nothing. As the sea breeze filled in from the opposite direction, the race was sensibly abandoned.
On the restart, with a lovely sunny force 3 filling in from the South West, Will and Mandy Henderson were first out of the gate and looked good for a while. The Ibbotsons followed them early out of the gate and played the shifts up the middle of the beat to take the lead at the windward mark, never to be overtaken. Chris Mayhew and Helen Hilditch showed blistering downwind speed to come from seventh and overhaul the Hendersons, closely followed by Antony Gifford and Richard Bailey.
On the second
beat, Antony Gifford consolidated his second place, closely followed
by Mayhew and Tom Stewart and Liz Ross. These three pulled away
from the chasing pack and had a three way match race around the
course until the finish.
Results
1. N3445 Jon and Charlotte Ibbotson
2. N3431 Antony Gifford and Richard Bailey
3. N3448 Tom Stewart and Liz Ross
4. N3437 Chris Mayhew and Helen Hilditch
5. N3418 Will and Mandy Henderson
Race 3 was cancelled as time was pressing on and the beer at the prize giving was calling!