Tynemouth Sailing Club was the venue for the fourth event in the Gill National 12 Series. It attracted 15 boats from as far away as Brighton and Essex.

The meeting was to be an event of two halves, being light and sunnyish on Saturday and up to Force 5 with big waves on Sunday.

Good first beats proved to be the key for Saturday’s two races with Ian and Alex Gore leading from start to finish in the first race and Mike Cooke and Helen Hunt doing the same in the second. Steve Sallis and Jenny James also had a good day scoring a second and a third.

The evening entertainment, which included a BBQ and a seminar on Gate Starts and Tidal Sailing presented by Steve Sallis, was much enjoyed by everyone.

Sunday dawned with grey skies, rain, thunder and lightning and big waves and breeze which built to Force 5 by the time the racing started. Geoff Camm and Amelia Hall showed great upwind pace to lead round the first mark. Although challenged downwind, they maintained this lead to the finish. The Gores and Sallis duelled for second place throughout the race ending in favour of the Gores after Sallis went for a swim. This let Nigel and Sue May into third with Tim Laws and Sue Jones sailing their Admirals Cupper into fourth.

For the next race, the remaining boats were treated to another display of Camms excellent upwind speed – which gave Camm plenty of room to manoeuvre at the start of the first reach when their rudder snapped. The Gores and Sallis again had a close race, with Sallis having the edge upwind and the Gores downwind. However, Sallis had some rudder problems which enabled the Gores to take an unassailable lead. In third was Laws and with no other boats left on the racecourse, the race officer called it a day.

Overall Results

1st N3441, Tabitha Musto – Ian and Alex Gore, Up River YC

2nd N3436, Dilbert – Steve Sallis and Jenny James, Hykeham SC

3rd N3464, Transmogrifier – Geoff Camm and Amelia Hall, Shoreham SC

4th N3295, Battle Tactics – Tim Laws and Sue Jones, Olten Mere SC

Admirals Cup

1st N3295, Battle Tactics – Tim Laws and Sue Jones, Olten Mere SC

2nd Why Can’t You – Mark Simpson and Emma Taylor, Scaling Dam SC

3rd Twice Shy – Neil and Katie McInnes, Yeadon SC

4th Sky Witch – Howard, Amy and Thomas Stevenson, Tynemouth SC