70th Regatta - Grand Pursuit Race

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After some careful handicap calculation, which included some "special" personal handicaps for certain speedy members of the fleet, the Grand Pursuit race started on the Bank Holiday Monday in a good force 4, using the whole length of Pitsford reservoir for the course. There was a total of 21 minutes between the first starter (N153, first winner of the Burton Cup) and the last starter (N3501, Tom Stewart, multiple winner of the Burton).  The sight of nearly 70 National 12s on the water was spectacular, ranging from lovingly varnished clinker vintage boats to the latest gleaming carbon fibre racing machines.

N153 "Witch", the oldest boat in the fleet, helmed by the oldest helm in the fleet, 70-something Brian Miatt, kept the lead for the first 55 minutes of the 2 hour race.

After some squally weather, which caused some spectacular capsizing down the reaches by some of the chasing boats, she was gradually overhauled by another vintage boat, N1657, sailed by father-son team Brian & George Kitchin. Brian & George kept the lead for a further 20 minutes before being overtaken by Nigel Waller in N3012 "Punkarella", who went on to retain the lead to the end. Nigel designed and built Punkarella in 1977 and sailed her to victory in the Burton Cup in 1978. Prior to the weekend, Nigel had been desperately looking for Punkarella in order to sail her at the anniversary regatta and eventually located her in a chicken shed in Wales. He retrieved her and spent Sunday tuning her to perfection. In second place was Admirals Cupper "Rebel", sailed by father-daughter team John & Alison Cheetham.  Ultra-modern double-bottomed "Monkey Business", sailed by Jon Ibbotson & Charlotte Stewart, managed to overcome their 18 minute handicap to take third place, with Brian & George Kitchin managing to hang on to fourth place.  

With two Admirals' Cup, one vintage and one double bottomed boat in the top 4 spots, the handicapping proved to be just about right for the conditions and a great time was had by all.

70 years of development, 12 feet of perfection. 

Photos: Kevan Bloor