Twelves at Waldringfield Sailing
Club's Cartoon Trophy
Despite forecasts (that turned out
to be accurate) of blustery conditions,
the National Twelve fleet descended on Waldringfield for the weekend
of
8/9th of September. In a healthy force 3/4 the first race was
led
initially by Dave Wade and Jane Jones, taking a break from a busy
season in
the Fireball class. Antony Gifford and Jessica Brown overhauled
Wade &
Jones on the first beat and were able to establish an unsurmountable
lead
on the long run back against the tide. Jon and Charlotte Ibbotson
finally
broke clear of the pack to give chase and finish second, ahead
of John and
Katy Meadowcroft.
Positions were reversed in race two,
the Ibbotsons establishing an early
lead and winning comfortably while Gifford and Brown had to work
their way
thorough to second. Gifford and Brown were chased home by Neil
Ravenscroft
and Frances Gifford, Neil was taking a deserved break from the
Lark and
learning a lot about how to keep a Twelve rig out of the water.
Sunday was significantly windier,
and Tom Stewart and Liz Ross arrived.
Stewart and Ross won race three, and the Ibbotsons worked past
Gifford and
Brown to take second.
The final race began in somewhat
extreme conditions, Gifford and Brown
reached the first mark first... and then decided that discretion
was the
better part of valour, and headed home with the boat in one piece.
The
Ibbotsons reached the same decision, and much of the rest of the
fleet
opted out. Stewart and Ross continued for a while before parking
their
boat under a moored yacht for a while and retiring gracefully.
Only Wade
and Jones were to finish, sailing with impressive stability to
finish the
shortened race without a swim, and capturing the prize for the
Admirals Cup
qualifying older boats.
As ever WSC did a great job hosting
the event, with plenty of rescue cover
for the classes that needed it.
Results
1st N3445, Jon and Charlotte Ibbotson
2nd N3447, Antony Gifford & Jess Brown
3rd N3431, Neil Ravenscroft & Frances Gifford
1st, Admirals Cup 12, Dave Wade and Jane Jones.