Brightlingsea Sailing Club
Fireball Open Meeting 13th & 14th June
A strong fleet of local boats was supported by visitors from as far away as Shoreham for a weekend of close racing, with 6 races held over the weekend. Saturday was warm and sunny with 8-12kts of breeze from the SE.
The first race was dominated by the tide with Penny and Ian Gibbs tacking around the committee boat and going to the right hand side of the course out of the tide, leading from start to finish. There was lots of place changing behind, with Becky Priest and Tim Saunders coming second and Simon Lomas-Clarke and John Piatt third. Everyone was trying to get the committee boat start on the second race and Vince Horey won the start, however Becky got to the windward mark first, followed by Barry and Rose Winship. Becky went away to win by a distance with Penny coming through to second and Martin Scarth and Tony King third by the finish. The final race of the day was less tidal and although Becky went right and Penny up the middle on the first beat, they came together on the starboard layline with Penny rounding first. Racing around for 3 laps, Penny just managed to hold off many challenges from Becky who was second and Phil Popple and Gavin Tilson third.
Sunday dawned hot and sunny and these conditions continued throughout the day with the racing held closer to Mersea Island and so further out of the main tide. The wind was light and shifty from the SW at 5-10kts. Becky lead at the first mark of race 4, with Vince in second with some close racing behind. The final reach turned into a beat and in the end there was some tight racing throughout the fleet to cross the line but the first 2 places were maintained. Race 5 started in similar semi trapezing conditions, with Becky leading around the course until the last lap where there was some confusion as to the finish. The first few boats crossed the line and stopped for a few seconds before realising that this was not the finish. Suddenly everyone realised that there was an extra lap and the race started again and although Penny was now leading, there was a close battle with Veronica and Ben Falat who came second with Vince third. All to play for in the final race, with Penny leading at the first mark, but with the wind dropping on the next beat and Veronica exploited the conditions and took the lead with Vince in second and Penny and Becky close behind. In the end it finished Penny first followed by Veronica and Vince.
A close weekend racing in great sailing and weather conditions, with the final results as follows:
| Rank | Boat | SailNo | Club | HelmName | CrewName | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | Total | Nett | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Pigs on the run | 14892 | Brightlingsea S.C | Penny Gibbs | Ian Gibbs | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | (3.0) | 1.0 | 1.0 | 9.0 | 6.0 | |
| 2nd | The New Bossy | 14954 | Staunton Harold S.C | Becky Priest | Tim Saunders | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | (4.0) | 4.0 | 14.0 | 10.0 | |
| 3rd | Gill Race Team | 14889 | King george S.C | Vince Horey | Chris Proffitt | (7.0) | 4.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 23.0 | 16.0 | |
| 4th | 14628 | Hillhead SC | Simon Lomas-Clarke | John Piatt | 3.0 | 5.0 | (7.0) | 4.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 29.0 | 22.0 | ||
| 5th | Sharky | 14867 | Waveney & Oulton Broad YC | Veronica Falat | Ben Falat | 6.0 | 6.0 | (9.0) | 8.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 33.0 | 24.0 | |
| 6th | Jammy's flyer | 14982 | Blackwater S.C | M Scarth | Tony King | 5.0 | 3.0 | 5.0 | (9.0) | 6.0 | 8.0 | 36.0 | 27.0 | |
| 7th | 14977 | Shoreham sailing club | Phil Popple | Gavin Tilson | 4.0 | (16.0 DNF) | 3.0 | 6.0 | 8.0 | 16.0 DNF | 53.0 | 37.0 | ||
| 8th | 14944 | Brightlingsea S.C | P Aldridge | D O'Reilly | 8.0 | 7.0 | 8.0 | 5.0 | (9.0) | 9.0 | 46.0 | 37.0 | ||
| 9th | On a Mission | 14893 | Brightlingsea S.C | E Tudor | W Tudor | 9.0 | 9.0 | 6.0 | (10.0) | 10.0 | 7.0 | 51.0 | 41.0 | |
| 10th | Betty | 14182 | Waveney & Oulton Broad YC |
Bryan riley | Tim riley | 11.0 | 8.0 | 10.0 | (12.0) | 7.0 | 6.0 | 54.0 | 42.0 | |
| 11th | Silver Not Grey | 14922 | Brightlingsea S.C | Barrie winship | Rose winship | 10.0 | 10.0 | (16.0 DNC) | 11.0 | 11.0 | 16.0 DNF | 74.0 | 58.0 | |
| 12th | Thomas Tank | 14470 | Brightlingsea S.C | Ray Newman | Dawn Jasper | 12.0 | 12.0 | 12.0 | (14.0) | 13.0 | 10.0 | 73.0 | 59.0 | |
| 13th | 14774 | Brightlingsea S.C | Roger Etherington | Cathy Chabo | (16.0 DNF) | 13.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 12.0 | 16.0 DNF | 83.0 | 67.0 | ||
| 14th | Get a grip | 15021 | Brightlingsea S.C | R Mansfield | G Sanderson | (16.0 DNC) | 16.0 DNC | 16.0 DNC | 7.0 | 14.0 | 16.0 DNF | 85.0 | 69.0 | |
| 15th | Blew Genes | 14798 | Blackwater S.C | M Richards | Graham Hoy | (16.0 DNF) | 11.0 | 11.0 | 15.0 | 16.0 DNF | 16.0 DNC | 85.0 |
69.0 |
