Musto Skiff Open
Meeting Rutland Water Sailing Club
Saturday the 21st and Sunday the 22nd
of March
Report by Dan Hendersen, Photos By Tania
Samus
View gallery >>>
30 Musto Skiffs arrived at Rutland Water Sailing Club
for the first open meeting of the year. With a light
wind forecast for the Saturday, and a heavier wind forecast
for the Sunday, it looked the perfect opportunity for
everyone to show off what they had been learning through
the winter.
The 1st race of the day was sailed in a fairly light
breeze. Richard Stenhouse began where he left off last
year by winning, showing that “the heavy ones” can also
dominate in the light breeze. Kit Stenhouse also put
in a good race with a second, using her local knowledge
playing the shifts and pressure.
Race 2 saw the breeze still light, but slightly increasing
on the first race. This meant most could get on the
trapeze, and lead for an exciting race. The leading
pack went left up the second beat, and the risky youths
of Tom Wright, Nick Hollis and Dan Henderson went up
the right hand side. It seemed that the further right
they went the better they came off. Dan lead the race
around the windward mark, making up 10 places on that
beat to win the race, with Tom Wright in 2nd, and Kit
Stenhouse coming in 3rd.
Race 3 was sailed in an increasing breeze which was
now around 10-12 knots. Dan Ward showed that winter
training had paid off by winning the race, followed
by Graeme Oliver, Richard Stenhouse, and Nick Hollis.
With the youths of the class competing for the 1st of
the Selden sponsored youth title, it was shaping up
to be a close battle as an under 21 was appearing in
the top 5 of each race.
 The
final race of the day was sailed in the strongest breeze,
with around 12-15 knots. Again World Champion Richard
Stenhouse showed his dominance at his home club putting
in a race win. However he was made to battle for his
win, as Tom Wright, also of Rutland Water showed brilliant
tactics and spotting shifting winds on the right hand
side of the course only to finally get reeled in by
Richard.
Over night Stenhouse had the lead, followed by Dan Henderson,
1 point ahead of Tom Wright in 3rd. The Selden youth
title was to go down to the wire on the Sunday, as only
1 point separated them over night.
Sunday morning arrived with more wind than expected.
The 5th race of the series got under way on time in
about 12 knots of breeze. Again Richard got back to
where he left off on the Saturday to win his 3rd race
of the series, closely followed by Tom Wright, and Graeme
Oliver.
With the breeze forever increasing, race 6 was sailed
in 12-16 knots, with large pressure bands drifting down
the course. The race was won by Andy Peake who showed
good tactic knowledge and found the pressure on the
down wind legs. He was followed closely by Richard,
Graeme, and Steve Tylcote who put in one of his best
results of the event.
Races 7-8 was sailed in the strongest
breeze of the weekend, with the clubs new weather system
showing a gust of 24 knots; it was going to prove to
be some interesting racing. Dan Vincent hit top form
in race 7 to win followed in by Richard Stenhouse, Graeme
Oliver, and Dan Henderson. Race 7 also proved to be
the race that would put everyone under pressure at the
gybing gate as a number of the leading pack all capsized
one after another.
Race 8 would be the deciding race for the 1st of the
new youth prize that has been kindly sponsored by Selden.
Stenhouse again showed great form on his home water
to win followed by previous race winner Dan Vincent,
Russ Clarke, and Graeme Oliver. Russ who has only been
sailing the boat for a short time showed with hard practice
its possible to get to the top of the fleet in a short
space of time.
30 boats and 5 different race winners
is a great way to start the season ... roll on the next
event at Stokes Bay on 18 - 91th April.
Many thanks go to Rutland Water Sailing
Club who turned races around fast, and showed great
enthusiasm as the host club.
Full
Set of Results Here >>>
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