Results / Open Chew Valley Lake SC - 16/03/2013

A moderate breeze and some sun shine greeted sailors for the first open meeting of the year at

 chew valley lake. Four classes shared a windward leeward course, which made a change from

the standard trapezoid.

Race 1 got under way in variable and shifty conditions. Pete Nelson was caught out on the wrong side of the line, letting some of us get a head start. At the windward mark the fleet was still close together. Matt, Jon, Alan and myself head off downwind with Pete giving Chase. The wind was around 9 to 11 knots but there were a good few gusts about to catch out any one napping. Up the second beat, Pete sticks his foot down going right, Matt and Pete open out a lead and stay close;

I’m in the middle all alone and Alan and Jon are fighting it out behind me. On the final run Pete and Matt are still very close, Pete leads the first part of the run but Matt nudges his way through and grabs a first. Pete puts a final gybe but gets caught out by a gust, feeling sorry for him I put a spurt on, maybe he will stay down long enough for me to catch him, but that was wishful thinking, he was up and over the line  for second with a bit of time to spare. I was third, Alan fourth and Jon fifth; after having a few swims.

Race 2 everyone was on the line for the start, the wind has increased to 18 knots a bit more in the gusts just the ticket for the 600 all flat wiring. Jon finds his feet and leads for a while with the rest of us keeping close for the early part of this race. There was no real pattern to the breeze so there was some place changing but Pete and Matt nudged ahead, with me and Jon giving chase. Second upwind leg saw Pete and Matt on the right side of the course, I went on the left and there was a shift in my favour that took me all the way to the mark but lead boats were ahead enough to still be clear, but its Matt's turn for a swim at the windward mark, and I just sneak in. Everyone keeps in the same spot for the final lap, so its Pete over the finish followed by me, Matt, Jon, and a wet Alan

Race 3 it's getting cold as we wait for the final line up for race three there were some hail storms blowing through making things tricky for the race team. As we start the wind eases to a more controllable strength, I’m forced right and the rest go left, at the top mark its Jon that finds himself

in the lead with me on his tail and the rest of the pack very close behind. I find myself leading up the next beat but Pete and the others are very close. Down wind I get a bit of a cushion with Matt and Pete fighting it out behind me. We had a choice of two leeward marks its easy to make the wrong choice with the wind being so changeable. There isn't much in it for the rest of the race, there were some place changes but I was to busy trying not to get caught out by some of the stronger gusts. I grab a first and look behind hoping to see Matt, but its Pete in second then Matt, Jon and Alan.

Everyone is back in and warming up from the chilly wind in good time to watch England get totally hammered by Wales. After all that hard work on and off the water the 600's headed off to the pub for some extreme burger eating.

The next morning the wind had left us (probably blowing a force 4 in Wales). RO Pete Rose

tried to get us out on some breeze that filled in but he canned it when it dropped away which was a good call. 

Well sailed Pete Nelson, the next event is Oxford 13^th and 14^th of April

Thanks to Chew Valley sailing club and Pete Rose and his race team for a great days racing.

Thanks also to our sponsors Bolle