Inland Championships
The Met Office predictions for the inlands on the 2nd and 3rd July were for light airs and gusts of 3 or 4 Knots, unfortunately this prediction came true. Despite these predictions 26 intrepid and hardy Phantom Sailors registered for the event on Saturday morning and then spent the rest of the day tuning boats and waiting for the next postponement, at about 3 o’clock the race officer abandoned racing for the rest of the day and drinking commenced in earnest.
Sunday met with a little more breeze and the prospect of 4 back to back races.
Race one commenced with Andrew Wilde, Ben Falat and ED Thomas escaping the pack on the first beat. Will Gulliver worked his way through the fleet to lead the pack in a frantic chase to catch the leaders in about 2 knots of breeze. The chase was forlorn in such light airs and the race finished with Andrew, Ben, Ed and Will in that order.
Race two was held back to back and on this occasion Will lead from the outset with Andrew, Ed and Tim Andrews chasing hard in a dyeing breeze. The race office shortened the course in order to conclude the racing within a reasonable time frame.
Following two postponements and the resetting of the course due to a massive wind shift race 3 finally started with Will making it first to the windward mark and then disappearing into the distance in wind conditions that were dropping by the minute. Andrew once again lead the chasing pack with Ben Crossdale, Ed, James Jarvey, John Wayling and Paul Lester pushing hard. After an hour’s hard graft trying to get the boats to move the race office finally took pity on the participants and finished the race on the course.
The inland championships were then concluded as the wind finally gave up and there was then a very rear site of a fleet of phantoms all franticly pumping sails (something not seen during racing) in order to get back to the club.
The intrepid and hardy participants would like to thank Rutland Sailing Club for hosting the event, Speed Sails for the Vouchers and the race officer and his team for doing there absolute best under very trying conditions.
The final results were:
1st - Andrew Wilde - Carsington
2nd - Will Gulliver - Northampton
3rd - Ed Thomas - Pilkington
4th - Ben Crossdale - Ogston
5th - Martyn Emberson - Northampton
6th - Ben Falat - Waveney & Outlen Broad
7th - M House - RHYC
8th - John Wayling - Stewartby
9th - Richard Sharp - Bough Beach
10th - Paul Lester - Chase
11th - James Jarvey - Hickling Broad
12th - Adam Perry
13th - Tim Andrews - BSSC
14th - James Dawson - Pennine
15th - Dermot Morrow
16th - Gavin Young - Cotswold
17th - Tyler Harmsworth - Shoreham
18th - Thomas Tindall - YDSC
19th - Simon Coxon - RYA
20th - Alex Dawson - Datchet
21st - Ian Sullivan - Stewartby
22nd - James Case - Wells
23rd - Phil Longley - Stone
24th - Ian Miller - Alton Water
25th - Richard Bartholomew - Rutland
25th - Mike Stone - Stone
