Easter Weekend at Waldringfield Sailing Club 3-5th April
A fleet of twenty National 12s enjoyed an excellent Easter weekend of racing at Waldringfield Sailing Club. The first race, in light winds on Saturday afternoon, was led from the start by Mike Hoyle and Natalie Jobling. They were never caught by the chasing group, winning comfortably. Tom Stewart and Liz Ross emerged from the pack to take second, with Antony Gifford and Rich Bailey third.
Conditions were again light on Sunday, with dramatic movements both up and down the fleet possible as puffs of the shifting wind played with the fleet. It was Gifford and Bailey who took best advantage of the conditions, or their luck depending on your point of view, to win both races. Hoyle and Jobling chased hard, often taking the lead, but were never able to be ahead at the point when it matters, finishing a very close second on both occasions.
On Monday the wind finally chose to join in the fun. In the stronger breeze a few new faces arrived near the front of the fleet. Jon and Charlotte Ibbotson led the early stages of the morning race, pursued by Jon Brown and Jane Jones. A luffing match let Stewart and Ross through, only for them to find themselves planing in to two feet of water with both foils up and no tiller extension. The resulting muddy walk left hem out of contention. A three way battle between Steve and Alison Sallis, Brown and Jones and Gifford and Bailey continued for the remainder of the race. Gifford and Bailey finally broke through in a tense taking battle approaching the finish to take another win. This win sealed overall victory with a race to spare, in a Final Chapter design that was borrowed at the last minute for the weekend. The next three places overall were filled by Feeling Foolish designs.
The final race was won by Stewart and Ross after a close battle with Brown and Jones in excellent conditions on the top of the tide.
1st Antony Gifford & Rich Bailey, N3421, Aldeburgh YC
2nd Mike Hoyle & Natalie Jobling, N3438, Royal Harwich YC
3rd Tom Stewart & Liz Ross, N3446, RHYC