West Riding Sailing Club, Wakefield, Yorkshire

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With a forecast of strong winds and heavy rain, 45 boats made it to the three-day regatta at West Riding Sailing Club held over the Spring Bank holiday weekend. Of these 15 were Streakers who were holding their Northern area championships within the regatta.

With the wind swinging and increasing the course for the second race was altered slightly, enough to confuse Cockerill who sailed to the wrong windward mark allowing Gillard to take first place followed in third place by Ian Bradley. In the Lasers Alasdair McQuire decided sailing would be more fun than being in a patrol boat and with fresh legs won the race from Gledhill and Keighley. In the handicap fleet it was Matt Cook and Abi Morgan who won in their Fireball from Mason and Smith in the Albacore and Wright in his Topper. In the Solos it was again Gillard and Bradley taking first and second place with Richard Harding taking third place.

With the forecast an uncertainty for the Sunday, the Streakers undertook an annual pilgrimage to a nearby watering hole whilst an acoustic set by local band Becks and the Bullets entertained the remainder of the competitors. Well Becks was there with her guitar!

Sunday morning saw clear skies and a blustery force 5 again from the North East. It soon became clear that the wind was set to increase. Race 3 started with Gledhill in the Lasers having to retire with gear failure as the start gun fired, leaving Keighley to win followed by McQuire and Wallace. In the Solos Gillard again took line hours from Harding with Merv Griffiths third. Wright in his Topper again sailed well to beat Alan Beecham and John Dyson in their Swordfish and Mike and Sue Fogg in their RS200. In the Streakers, Cockerill again beat Gillard to the line with Bradley third.

After a slight pause for lunch, and impromptu engine maintenance on the patrol boats, the wind continued to strengthen for Race 4. With a reduced Streaker fleet of five, the finishing order of Cockerill, Gillard and Bradley from the previous race was repeated, securing overall victory of the Northern Area Championships for Cockerill.  As boats succumbed to the strengthening winds, only Gillard, Griffiths and Bradley finished in the Solo fleet whilst in the Laser fleet Gledhill returned to take victory from Keighley and Matt Velamail. In the handicap fleet, Wright retired giving victory to Andy and Iain Ritchie in their RS400, with Cook and Morgan second and Ted Farrence and Julie Tree third in their Swordfish.

Race 5 was truly a race for the hardened sailor with only 13 boats making it to the start line, and gusts of force 8 recorded. As conditions worsened the OD considered abandoning the race but was so impressed by the Laser fleet reaching down to the start, he let the race continue albeit for a reduced time. Only Gillard and Bradley finished in the Streakers confirming their overall second and third place in their Area Championships, whilst in the Solos only Harding and Griffiths finished, Gillard having decided to grant himself a rest period in preparation for Monday. In the Handicap fleet Wright won again in his Topper from the only other finishers Farrence and Tree in the Swordfish and the Foggs in the RS200. In the Laser fleet, after warnings from his fellow competitors regarding the condition of his boat, McQuire suffered gear failure forcing retirement. Gledhill went on to win from Keighley and Velamail giving him the overnight lead from Keighley on count back. Wallace, the supreme athlete was forced to retire through fatigue from his inability to right his boat

With rain still forecast for the following day, the Streakers having completed their Area Championship departed to peace and tranquillity leaving the remaining competitors to retreat to a hot evening meal and the bar. After the infamous WRSC pup quiz, won once again by team AppleCook, the 1970's Enterprise World Disco Champion Mike Rimmer, laid down a challenge to a Disco Dancing contest between Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. After a cool performance from an eight strong Yorkshire team, demonstrating that you can dance without getting up from a chair, it was up to team Lincolnshire to seek victory. Rimmer after little persuasion selected his track and with a little help showed that he still had what it took to impress on the dance floor, if only through comedy value.

As the campers emerged on Monday morning expecting rain, they were pleasantly suprised with clear skies and what seemed a reasonable North Easterly breeze. The race officer having spent time on the water warned the competitors at the morning briefing that there was more wind than was apparent, even more than the previous day. Undeterred the Solo, Laser and Handicap fleets took to the water only to appreciate the full strength of the wind. In what became a test of skill as the wind increased only Gillard and Brunner finished in the Solos and Gledhill, Wallace and David Hunter in the Lasers and in the handicap fleet Farrence & Tree, Beecham & Dyson and Cook & Morgan.

As the rescue crews towed boats back from the dam, the possibility of a final race seemed to be in question. Whilst the sailors munched on their lunch a three strong team took to the lake to ascertain the conditions. Initially the wind seemed to abate, but within several minutes it returned and after consideration the race officer decided to abandon the final race.

Boats were packed up, prizes were awarded and everyone agreed it was one of those events that will be remembered as a little bit windy!