Laser Direct Inland Championship
A total of 31 boats made the journey to Ullswater Yacht Club last weekend with six races scheduled.
Saturday’s racing got underway in a reasonably (for Ullswater) stable Force 3 with local boat 2205 sailed by Gordon and Sue Brooks winning the first race from Dave and Kate Eccles.
Races two and three were again on the windward/leeward course set across the lake this time with Dave and Kate winning race two from Chris and Kate/Emily McDonald. Race three saw Elizabeth and Tim Fillmore beating Helen and Andrew Phillips who had held the lead until the final leg. Throughout the fleet there was close and exciting racing with places being made and lost on all legs of the course, even the reaching finish.
Sunday morning the Race Officer firmly told the fleet that racing was scheduled to start at 1030hrs so the fleet launched and proceeded to follow the committee boat across the lake in a vain hope that the wind would settle.
After the early lunch break (even the club had a power cut) the wind finally filled in and settled in the forecast direction. Race four was started in a gentle Force 2 with John and Pauline Cox along with Richard and Tom Bland doing a horizon job to the rest of the fleet, choosing the better shifts John and Pauline won this race. Race five saw the wind build to a shifty Force 3 with the left-hand side giving huge gains to those who spotted the advantage; this race was won by Rob McCulloch and Alma Cadzow with Tim and Elizabeth Fillmore chasing.
Overall Results
1st 21109, Mwg Ar Y Dwr, Dave and Kate Eccles Bala SC 11pts
2nd 21227, Elizabeth and Tim Fillmore Dracote Water SC 13 pts
3rd 2969, Rob McCulloch and Alma Cadzow Loch Venachar SC 15 pts
4th 21313, Mad Max, Chris and Kate/Emily McDonald Grafham Water SC 16 pts
5th 2549, Richard and Tom Bland Carsington SC 17 pts
6th 21462, BuzzB, Andy and Mark/Karen Baldwin Grafham Water SC 28 pts
7th 2205, Gordon and Sue Brooks Ullswater YC 27 pts
8th 21061, Idun, John and Pauline Cox Chichester YC 30 pts
9th 2719, Peter and Rachel Bolton Carsington SC 31 pts
10th 2547 Wild Kids, Andrew and Alice Barraclough Rickmansworth 31 pts