A selection of photographs and round-up from this year’s Abersoch Dinghy Week by Ingrid Abery.

Sailing Networks Abersoch Dinghy Week

South Caernarvonshire Yacht Club hosted their annual Dinghy Week at Abersoch (22-27 July) with new lead sponsor Sailing Networks.

Two hundred and sixty four boats raced in fifteen fleets. Numbers were down on previous years due to a clash with the Wakestock gig and flooding across parts of the country. Despite these, Dinghy Week remains one of the UK’s biggest single dinghy-only race.

It was a week of two weather patterns – the first three days giving light to moderate winds while the latter three brought exhilarating, full-on strong wind conditions, often at the limit of safe sailing conditions.

Each morning there was a special inshore course for different ability levels of Optimist sailors. Further out at sea 38 Lasers produced one of the most dominant Week’s winners – Michael Sims (Carsington) – who took five bullets and a third. The only other race winner was third placed Andrew Wilde (Ogston) who lost on a tie-break to Laser returnee and former Laser National Champion, Mike Budd (SCYC). Phil Bishop (Sheffield Viking) was fourth ahead of Luke Bayliss (Carsington), RYA Zone Manager Chris Blackburn and Tim Mercer (West Lancs) in fifth. Jono Shelley would have scored highly but had to count an OCS.

A tie-break was also needed in the thirty two Solos to decide the winner. Andrew Fox (Crosby) just pipped Sheffield Viking’s Chris Gillard. The next four places went to Jonathan Gledhill (West Riding), SCYC’s Tony Sampson who counted a race win, Dinghy Week organiser Brian Holland and Mike Crompton (Budworth).

The Single Handed Fast Dinghies had RS 300s, 700 and International Canoe. Bill Hooton (Burton) won in a Contender ahead of the 300s of Tim Keen (Sheffield Viking) and Sam Sutton (Leigh & Lowton).

The Single Handed Slow Dinghies were dominated by the heavy weights in the Phantoms with Andy Couch (Rudyard Lake) winning ahead of Elton’s Mike Webster and Philip Worth.

For all results please visit the SCYC website www.scyc.co.uk

Sailing Networks are to support the event in 2008 and 2009.