Burton week 2004 results
Practice race
Burton week 2004 started with the weigh in and the practise race
today. The fleet is at 59 boats and is expected to break the 60
mark with more sailors due later in the week.
The practice race was held in a sunny F1-3, after several practice starts the fleet got away. The pathfinder (N12 experts Tom Stewart and Liz Ross) stole the show, banging the starboard side and picking up a huge lift and fresh breeze on the right hand side of the course. In true practise race style Tom & Liz pulled out before the finish leaving the bullet to Caroline Martin & Andrew Douglas who had shown good consistency in all the previous practise starts.
The forecast is for good wind but the sun / rain situation
is looking less good. The fleet is still hoping for a great week
on the water
Marlow rope
Salver
A complete change of weather occurred overnight and the fleet
was greated with dense fog. Launching was postponed for an hour
whilst the race committee tried to decide between sailing in Portland
Harbour (with the wind coming directly off Portland Bill this
would not be a great option) or out in Weymouth bay (with dense
fog there was a risk of losing some people and therefore also
not a great option). By 10:30am the fog lifted and a force three
filled in and the fleet launched for a race in the bay.
Caroline Martin was pathfinder and as the gate opened the wind shifted subtly (around 10 degrees). The early starters initially looked good with some nice lifts on port but as the beat continued a permanent shift set in with a 30 degree starboard lift which benefitted the late starters. Tom Stewart & Liz Ross benefitted most, with Bruce & Clare Johnson also doing well rounding the windward mark in second. The pathfinder came in quite nicely in the top 5 and the first Admirals cup twelve arrived at the windward mark third in the hands of Tim Laws.
Places in the top 10 didn't change too much over the subsequent reaches, sausage and then final triangle. Stewart & Ross held the lead, Will & Arthur Henderson took second with the Johnsons in third. Tim Laws was first Admirals cup 12 finishing 10th.
The forecast for Monday is more wind but also rain . . boo!
The fleet is looking for their waterproofs.
Centenary
Trophy
Wet
wet wet . . . as expected, plenty of wind (gusting up to 19 knots),
plenty of spray and plenty of rain to wash away the salt. Both
races were held in Weymouth bay and a P course was used for both.
Tim Laws started the fleet as pathfinder in race 1 (it has been
a few years since an Admirals cup was pathfinder!). Unfortunately
going right didn't pay and the fleet on the left won through.
With a strong breeze and slight chop the Final Chapter was in
its element particularly in the hands of John & Katy Meadowcroft
who rounded the windward mark in a clear lead. Unfortunately the
Meadowcrofts bowed to the reaching speed of Tom Stewart &
Liz Ross who then went on to win the race.
The final positions were
1 Tom Stewart & Liz ROss
2 John & Katy Meadowcroft
3 John Brown & Rachel Williamson
4 Steve Sallis & Jenny James
5 Jon & Char Ibbotson
1st Admirals cup
Tim Laws & Simon Hemmingway
Port of Plymouth
Cup
The wind dropped to around 14 knots for the start of race 2. Graham
Camm & Zoe Ballantyne were pathfinder. With the wind heading
on port slightly during the start many boats started early. Initially
the boats on the right looked good however as they were more lifted.
Kevin Iles & Jane Wade in their new Big Issue looked to be
leading the pack on the right hand side but soon the wind filled
from the left and John & Katy Meadowcroft looked in the lead.
The left continued to pay and the Meadowcrofts rounded the windward
mark in a comfortable lead. There was much fighting at the front
of the fleet, initially Jon & Char Ibbotson snatched the lead
from the Meadowcrofts but then had to defend hard luffing high
on both reaches of the P course. Whilst the Ibbotsons were fending
off Jon Brown & Rachel Rachel Williamson, Tom Stewart &
Liz Ross managed to snatch the lead following the rhumb line on
the reach. On the next lap Will & Arthur Henderson shot into
second place putting their super-light-weight to good effect on
the reaches.
The final positions were
1 Tom Stewart & Liz ROss
2 Will & Arthur Henderson
3 Jon & Char Ibbotson
4 John Brown & Rachel Williamson
5 John & Katy Meadowcroft
1st Admirals cup
Graham Iles & Emma Wilkins
Sir Williams
Burton Cup
The race started in similar conditions to the previous day (perfect
F3-4) but with more sunshine.
Steve Sallis and Jenny James were pathfinder, with the fleet equally split as to whether to start early or late. John & Katy Meadowcroft were first to the windward mark having had a very fast beat carried half way up the beat on a starboard lift and then then tacked as the wind backed taking the port lift the rest of the way. Richard Williams & Lindsey Iles flew past on the first reach to take a strong lead. Jon Brown & Rachel Williamson also had a speedy reach which took them through to second place. Will & Arthur Henderson caught up on the next reach and took third place.
On the next beat, the left hand side paid and Richard Williams pulled even further ahead. Ian & Alex Gore and Steve Sallis & Jenny James caught up the leaders significantly on the next beat, so that places in the top ten changed frequently over the next lap, but Richard kept his lead to the finish. Series leaders Tom Stewart & Liz Ross tried hard for the whole race, they got as high as third but then fell foul of the wind swings on the third beat.
The final positions were:
1 Richard Williams & Lindsey Iles
2 Jon Brown & Rachel Williamson
3 Will & Arthur Henderson
4 Ian & Alex Gore
5 Graham Camm & Zoe Ballantyne
1st Admirals Cup
Graham Iles & Emma Wilkins
Borough of
Weymouth Cup
Strong winds blew over Tuesday night and the fleet awoke to a
sunny F5... but with further imminent gale warnings the Race Officer
decided to try and get the race in early and hold it in Portland
Harbour.
Steve Adshead and Henry Johnson were Pathfinder and opened the gate in an increasing wind. The late starters picked up a lift on the right and Steve Sallis & Jenny James pressed the turbo button and flew into the lead in their Feeling Foolish closely followed by Terry & Angela Cooke in their Big Issue. The first reach was very fast and the most critical decision on the reach was whether to gybe or not, and even the leaders had to ask themselves whether they wanted to.
There was some Big Issue battling at the wing mark between Mark Simpson & Mike Cooke Vs the Senior Cooke team. Senior Cookes won and their incredible upwind speed meant they easily held their second place to the finish. Leading the following pack were the Meadowcrofts followed by series leaders Tom Stewart & Liz Ross who finished third and fourth respectively.
There were two races posted for today but the first indications of the forecast front were visible and the Race Officer postponed the second race until Thursday. Two races are therefore now planned for Thursday.
The final positions were:
1 Steve Sallis & Jenny James
2 Terry Cooke & Angela Cooke
3 John & Katy Meadowcroft
4 Tom Stewart & Liz Ros
Paul Cooke
Trophy
After a postponement frm Thursday the breeze was still on when
the fleet awoke and force 7 gusts were recorded on Portland Bill
and with a decreasing forecast the fleet set off for race 6 in
Portland Harbour.
Jon Brown & Rachel Williamson were pathfinder. Many started early expecting better wind in the middle but a starboard lift came off the Castle Cove SC shore benefitting all the late starters. Jon & Rachel rounded the windward mark first with Graham Camm & Zoe Ballantyne in second. Graham & Zoe headed high on the second reach and caught a gust which accelerated them into the lead. The right handside continued to pay for the next two beats and racing was close. Steve Sallis & Jenny James played the shifts well on beat three and took second place from Jon & Rachel. They then overtook Graham & Zoe on the first reach of the final lap, only to be rolled on the second reach shortly after the gybe. On the final beat Steve & Jenny hit the turbo button and steadily gained ground to windward of Graham & Zoe. A final tacking dual in the final 100 meters saw Steve & Jenny claim the gun.
The final positions were:
1 Steve Sallis & Jenny James
2 Graham Camm & Zoe Ballantyne
3 Tom Stewart & Liz Ross
4 Jon Brown & Rachel Williamson
Borough of
Scarborough Cup
By 12:30pm the wind seemed to have dropped and the fleet headed
into Weymouth Bay for the final race. Will & Arthur Henderson
were pathfinders. There was a difference of opinion on the correct
way to go up the beat but it all evened out by the windward mark
with Steve & Jenny rounding first closely followed by Jon
& Char Ibbotson. With three laps of a P courses planned and
nice rolling waves coming into the bay the downwind legs would
prove critical. Steve & Jenny flew round the first lap into
an un-catchable lead. The fight however was on for second with
places swapping constantly as the wind swung round to the right.
Tom & Liz played the shifts well on the second lap to get
back into the leading pack and got into second place by the finish.
The final positions were:
1 Steve Sallis & Jenny James
2 Tom Stewart & Liz Ross
3 Jon & Charlotte Ibbotson
4 John & Katy Meadowcroft
5 Graham Cam, & Zoe Ballantyne
Was not sailed