Waldringfield 14th,15th -&- 16th April 2001

 

Twenty National Twelves braved a blustery and cold Easter on the River Deben and were with rewarded with some excellent sailing. The tides were unusually unfavourable for the event, however, the host club did a good job of using the available water to maximum effect. Antony Gifford, crewed by Jo Brown, took an early lead in the first race and were never headed. Jonathan Brown and new young crew Guy Johnson (the second generation of the family starting to make a mark on the class) held off Jon and Charlotte Ibbotson to take second.
Sunday was the day the Ibbotsons stamped their mark on the event, winning both races. In the morning race Tom Stewart and Liz Ross took an early and sizable lead, but the persistent pursuit by the Ibbotsons was rewarded as they made light work of the traffic on the course and closed up with the leaders in time to snatch victory in a tussle on the final beat. In the third race John and Katy Meadowcroft set off with an early lead and caught by Tom Stewart and Liz Ross, and then the Ibbotsons. Stewart and Ross pulled another tactical blunder from their book and managed to lose not only their lead, to the Ibbotsons, but to slip back to third, letting Gifford and Brown through to second.
	On Monday there was more wind, and fewer errors by Stewart and Ross meant that it was their turn to record two wins, the first in their new Winder built Feeling Foolish. Despite both making terrible starts in the morning race Ibbotson and Gifford pulled through to take second and third in that race, and the event was effectively settled. Nigel Playford and his children pursued the leading group determinedly all weekend to earn fourth, and Jerry and Margaret Garner were one of only three boats to finish all five races to leave them sixth overall and comfortably the first of the older boats present.     1st Jon & Charlotte Ibbotson, RHYC, N3445 2nd Tom Stewart & Liz Ross N3465 3rd Antony Gifford & Jo Brown, N3447

Outline Programme
Sat 14 April ( HW17.03) )
Points 1 14:00

Sun 15 April ( HW17.45)
Points 2 11.00
Points 3 14:30

Mon 16 April (HW18.43)
Points 4 10.30
Points 5 13.30

Entry Fees £ 20.00

Sunday evening Social (supper and disco 7pm, Bar open 6pm) - Tickets £4.00

Entry forms and Sailing Instructions are available from:-
www.waldringfieldsc.freeserve.co.uk
or from:- Janie Fitchett, Dunoon, Cliff Road, Waldringfield,
Suffolk IP12 4QL
email:- jnfitchett @btinternet.com