Bright, blustery, and cold - the conditions set the stage for a testing ILCA class event at Papercourt Sailing Club, Surrey, on Sunday, 21st April. The event is part of the Sailingfast, Thames Valley Grand Prix ILCA series. With 21 competitors including 8 in ILCA 7 and 13 in ILCA 6, there were visitors from Wembley, Fairlop Waters SC, Reading and elsewhere, braving the elements.
Breezy conditions and unpredictable gusts made for a test of skill and strategy on the water. The wind tracked left in the afternoon, which opened up opportunities for some gains on the larger shifts. In both the ILCA 6 and ILCA 7 fleets, the competition was tight, with leading positions changing hands multiple times in each race.
In the morning in the ILCA 7 fleet, Simon, who was clearly still revved up from landing that morning from an internation flight, took poll position for the first race. Then Bruce gathered himself from an earlier messy start to take first place for the second race.
A tasty and welcome hot lunch provided much-needed sustenance, fuelling the competitors for the races in the afternoon. Many thanks to Jill, Cathy, Colin and Sue for pulling together a great spread.
In the afternoon, most of the ILCA 7 sailors took a turn at the front, but Bruce held onto the habit of coming out ahead at the finish line, with a selection of others taking second.
Race officers Martin and Ann played a pivotal role in ensuring the smooth running of the event. Their expertise in setting a course that maximized the usage of the lake, coupled with getting all races under way in good time, was commendable.
Many thanks go to the rescue crews. Their vigilance and quick response ensured the safety of the competitors throughout the day.
As the day drew to a close and the sailors returned to shore, there was a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment in the air. Despite the cold winds and challenging conditions, the ILCA Open had been a resounding success, showcasing the skill, determination, and camaraderie of all the sailors.
Thank you to Sailingfast for their role as lead sponsor for the Grand Prix Series.
The next event in the Thames Valley series is at Fisher's Green on 4th May. Other future events are on the ILCA events page : - portal.ilca.uk/events
ILCA 7 Results:
Pos Sail No Helm Club R1 R2 R3 R4 Pts
1st 197342 Bruce Ramshaw Papercourt ‑4 1 1 1 3
2nd 207591 Simon Hamment Papercourt 1 ‑2 2 2 5
3rd 215492 Andrew Hill‑Smith Papercourt 2 3 5 ‑6 10
4th 222771 Richard Lymposs Pepercourt 3 4 ‑6 4 11
5th 209002 Colin Carver Wembly SC ‑6 6 3 3 12
6th 204719 Andrew McLeish Fairlop Waters SC ‑5 5 4 5 14
7th 136074 Joseph Watson Papercourt 7 7 7 (DNC) 21
8th 179587 Gavin Goldblatt Papercourt (DNC) DNC DNC DNC 27
ILCA 6 Results:
Pos Sail No Helm Club R1 R2 R3 R4 Pts
1st 222770 Kaitlyn Wyatt Papercourt 2 ‑3 1 1 4
2nd 203312 Lauren Irons Papercourt 1 1 ‑3 3 5
3rd 218940 Christopher Kilshaw ‑4 4 2 2 8
4th 202214 Andrew Boyce Papercourt 3 2 ‑4 4 9
5th 203275 Shirley Vann Papercourt 6 5 ‑7 5 16
6th 173517 Liz Hill‑Smith Papercourt 5 7 ‑8 6 18
7th 208650 Victoria Robinson Papercourt ‑7 6 5 7 18
8th 181643 Susan Lewis Papercourt ‑10 8 6 8 22
9th 204965 Paul Southall ‑12 9 10 9 28
10th 160347 Russell Bavington‑Hall Papercourt ‑11 11 9 10 30
11th 200509 Michael James Papercourt 8 10 (DNC) DNC 31
12th 181060 Niall Maynard Papercourt 9 12 (DNC) DNC 34
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