SPRING BANK REGATTA 2009

Forty-seven boats took part in West Riding SC’s annual Open Spring Bank Regatta held over the three days of the Spring Bank Holiday. There were class starts for Solos and Lasers, with the Saturday and Sunday of the event counting towards the Winder Boats Solo Northern Championship. Other classes started in the Handicap Class.

Although great for camping, the weekend did have bad moments for sailing with all Sunday’s three races abandoned as the hot, windless high pressure sat over Wintersett Reservoir. Saturday saw two races held in the afternoon, with a medium breeze shifting between the south and southwest gradually dying towards the end of the second race.

With an ominous forecast for the Sunday, competitors partied hard during the Indoor Games entertainment on Saturday night, getting stuck into activities with exciting names like Swingers and The Big Bang. Monday’s two races saw Saturday’s pattern repeated, with the first held in glorious conditions with the strongest wind of the weekend blowing from the south, only for the breeze to start losing interest in the second and last race.

All competitors were eligible for free spot draws for over £350 worth of Rooster and Gelert gear, and during the weekend the elegance of many sailors was enhanced in direct proportion to their success in the draws.

In the Lasers, Tim Keighley convincingly wrapped up the first two races on Saturday. As he was only able to make the first two days, Tim had the frustration of sitting through the windless Sunday watching his chances of a podium finish die with the wind. This handed the event to Hamish Gledhill, who after two seconds on Saturday shared a first and a third on Monday with Alasdair McQuire. This left Hamish overall winner from Alasdair, with Matt Cook third.

John Gledhill carried his Northern Championship advantage over the other Solos staying on, and despite wins by Ian Harridge and James Porter, his two second places were enough to wrap up the regatta series. James Porter took second place overall from Howard Frear third.

The usual mixed collection of craft in the Handicap Class saw two contrasting boats top the fleet. Mark Weston’s modern flying Phantom won overall with three firsts and a second, while in second place Ted Farrance’s forty-five year old plus Swordfish took second overall with a steady score line of a third and three fourths. Dave Baxter’s Vago came third with a more erratic 2,5,6,8.