Yorkshire Dales SC Open Meeting

A fleet of 13 boats enjoyed some close racing at the open meeting held at Yorkshire Dales SC on Sunday 14 May 2006.  With a steady breeze right over Grimwith Reservoir the OOD was able to set some good long courses, although as the cloud descended during the day the length of the course made it difficult for spectators to watch the racing and impossible for photographers to get decent pictures!

The first race saw Dave and Jane Wade, hotly pursued by Philip David and Thea Armstrong, take an early lead.  Sadly rounding a mark the wrong way resulted in them both having to make the choice between retirement and disqualification and handed the race to John and Alison Cheetham.  John and Georgina Brookes took 2^nd place with Bernard Clark and Stewart Miatt in 3^rd place.

The OOD kept the fleet out on the water, running races 1 and 2 back to back , and the Wades soon took the lead and retained it throughout the race.  David/Armstrong and the Cheethams battled throughout the race with the Cheethams taking 2^nd place and David/Armstrong in 3^rd place.  Patrick Hamilton and Lucy Dawson, very welcome new additions to the Northern circuit, took 4^th place.  

Race 3 was sailed after the lunch break and with some crews suffering from the cold (or was it altitude sickness?) the fleet were keen to get going, race and get off the water quickly.  The Wades, Cheethams and David/Armstrong battled for the first 3 places throughout the race, finishing in that order with just seconds between them. The close racing wasn’t just limited to the front of the fleet, with other places being settled on or close to the line, and final placings being split on discard.

The meeting saw a number of ‘regulars’ missing from the action, but 3 new boats coming to join the fun.  This bodes well for the rest of the series!  The fleet particularly missed Mark and Emma Simpson, but their excuse of the arrival of a baby daughter the previous night was a pretty good one!

 Final positions:

 1^st         Dave and Jane Wade, N3468, Northampton SC

2^nd        John and Alison Cheetham, N3209, Yeadon SC

3^rd        Philip David and Thea Armstrong, N3217, Yorkshire Ouse SC

4^th        Patrick Hamilton and Lucy Dawson, N3361, Burwain SC