Sailing - Back-to-back championships for Looe Sailing Club
For the first time ever, Looe Sailing Club will be holding back-to-back sailing championships later this month.
The action kicks off with the Contender Nationals from next Sunday (July 25) to Friday, July 30, and is followed 24 hours later, by the Scorpion Nationals.
For both class associations, it will be the first Nationals when electronic time pieces and compasses have been permitted.
The Contenders have been to Looe before; indeed it will be the third time that the 16-ft singlehanders have graced the bay.
The high-performance dinghies first came to Looe in 1987 and when they returned in 1995, they were so impressed that they immediately booked a Summer '99 championship week,
Between 50 and 60 boats, now fitted with trapezes, are expected, including class president Stuart Jones, a former National champion from the Thames Valley's Datchet Water club, and Scottish visitor Neil Wilson, who won at Looe in 1995.
Jones' boat was built by Wavelength and Ian Ridge and is one of the company's successful 'off the shelf' packages. Since Bob Miller designed the Con tender 37 years ago, almost 1,000 have been built, including 15 new dinghies last year.
Defending National champion is Graham Scott from Weston Sailing Club, Hampshire, who sailed his Wavelength dinghy to success at Pwlhelli, while reigning European champion is Ian Renilson of Dalgety Bay, Fyfe, who was helming a Rondar-built boat on that occasion but was aboard a Wavelength in Sardinia where he won the World title as well.
Principal race officer for the 10-event series will be Roger Hocking, assisted by Robert Libby, with a team of 40 people helping to run the championships, both on the water and on the Seafront, where beach master will be Arthur Pike and beach manager, Margaret Jackman.
When the Contenders start packing up on the Friday, the first of the two-man Scorpion dinghies will be arriving for their Nationals which open with a practice race on Saturday, July 31.
The Scorpions, an international 14-ft class with trapeze and spinnaker, have also been to Looe before, holding their 1994 championships in the resort.
On this occasion, more than 60 helms are expected, including Weymouth's John Mursell, the National champion every year but one since 1994 in 1997, Dave Woodhead and Jerry Hannabuss, of Elton Sailing Club, Lancashire, won the title.at Porthpean in mid-Cornwall aboard their Devon designed Rowsell and Morrison boat
Mursell is expected to be crewed again by Ian Cadwallader who helped him to success in his GosIing dinghy at Pwlhelli 12 months ago.
Like the Contenders, the Scorpions, designed by Taprell Dorling, are now almost 40 years old. Nearly 2,000 have been built, but there were only three new ones fast season as other, more modern dinghy designs continued to become the vogue.
Eight races are planned by principal race officer Peter Pascoe, who will be assisted by Steve Sargent
Beach master will be Nick Soady and beach manager, Margaret Jackman The committee boat for both championships will be Phil Dingle's JayCee.
Race Four of the Torpoint Mosquito Series Two started well with all classes close to the line but no one over. A good long race with the lead changing followed.
Trevor Aughey had an eventful sail but had to retire after his capsize. His repair of the traveller held but the main sheet pulled from the boom, ending his race.
Results - Mirrors - Blue Bird (James Watts, Tom Ogilvie); Double Trouble (James Ogilvie, Nick Green); Buster (Tom Sneyd and Daniel Sneyd).
Handicap class - Ratty the Reckless, Hornet, Joe Snawdon and Mel Austin; Bottom Up, Enterprise, Graham Ward; Furev Tow, Enterprise, Graham Tucker.
Laser - Kiss It (Andrew Burgess), Steve Packer; 2nd Wind (Keith Watts).
Laser Radiel - Viper (Paul Cox), Pure Genius (Adam Finch), Gecho (Ashton Lister).
On Tuesday evening (Series II) sponsored by Watkins Boat Sales (South West) there was a westerly 4-5 blowing and with the start of the flood tide both classes were sent 'Deep Sea' into Plymouth Sound.
A submarine due in at 1930 did restrict the course somewhat. Division IIA were set 'F' buoy, Duke Rock, Kildare, Asda and home, giving a long down wind leg with Nettie, Trio and Dogs Jorrocks having major problems giving the rest of the fleet a lot of entertainment.
Division IIB with six boats at the start had the easiest course to remember - 'L' and back, 'L' being South Mallard. Richard Humpherson sailing Macavity for the first time in three years almost had the race in the bag until he got his buoy mixed up and had to retire. Had he not he would have been rewarded with a second place behind the well sailed Abigail.
Results - Class A - Cathy (J Snawdon); Echo (J Fisher); Vanity Flare (T Burne).
2B - Abigail (A Demaine); Crisp (M Swain), Pickeral (P Cooper).
The last race of the second Saltash Thursday series was greeted with a cloudy day with sunny intervals with the wind south to south-westerly force 2-3 gusting four although it veered round to westerly towards the end of the race.
The courses were set at H (stbd), I (stbd), E (port), Y (port), Hamoaze, Beggar's Island, Ernesettle, South Skinham) for IRC and PYA and the course for PYB was H, L, G (Hamoaze, Lyhner, Brunel Green) all to port.
First off the line in each class were - Firestorm Too (Paul Radgick) in IRC; Mr Shifter (Marcus Anderson) in PYA; Spellbound (John Hearl) in PYB.
In the IRC race, although Firestorm Too had a good race taking line honours and first place on corrected time, it was not enough to win overall and Shara of York (Peter Noakes) ended up beating them by two points to take the series.
The PYA series was won by Jabberwocky (Brian Cann) with Hello (Gerry Smith) coming second by three points and Chancer (Martin Watts) bringing up the lead six points behind them.
The PYB series was a very close affair with both Spellbound (John Hearl) and Rough Diamond (Dave Moore) tied on nine points. The winner of the series therefore had to be decided on places in tonight's race which was Spellbound.
There is no racing next week at Saltash due to the PPSA regatta. Racing returns on July 29 with the Youth Helm followed the following Thursday by race one in the third and final Thursday night series for 1999.
Results - PYB - Spellbound (John Hearl), Nein Nein Fraulein (Paul Ormsby), Rough Diamond (Dave Moore).
Overall results for second series - Spellbound (John Hearl), Rough Diamond (Dave Moorer), Nein Nein Fraulein (Paul Ormsby).
IRCA - Firestorm Too (Paul Radgick), Shara of York (Peter Noakes), Judicious (John and Nina Little).
Overall results for second series - Shara of York (Peter Noakes), Firestorm Too (Paul Radjick), Lacewing (Terry Curtis).
PYA - Hello (Gerry Smith), Jabberwocky (Brian Cann), Evening Storm (Bill Brimble).
Overall results for second series - Jabberwocky (Brian Cann), Hello (Gerry Smith), Chancer (Martin Watts).
With the westerly wind dropping away Saturday's racing in Looe Bay was shortened from four to three rounds. The lighter winds suited Derek Hocking who led the Redwing fleet throughout. However very little separated the next three boats who changed position several times with only a minute between first and fourth at the finishing line.
Tuesday evening was a complete contrast with perhaps the best winds of the season making for some exciting racing. A blanket finish involving Bud Coote and Roger Hockings Redwings and Gareth Shaws and Ben Crabbs Lasers was good to watch.
Results - Sat - Mirrors - John Crabb and Jamie Jaycock; Sam Haines and crew.
Redwing - Derek Hocking and Mark Delf; Roger Hocking and Hedley Martin; Bud Coote and Dave Darlington.
Lasers - Gareth Shaw, Daniel Margetts, Daniel Gummow.
Tuesday - Mirrors - Philip Godbolt and Verity Pope; John Crabb and Jamie Jaycock. Subject to protest.
Redwings - Bud Coote and Dave Darlington; Roger Hocking and Hedley Martin; Peter Kinver and Arthur Kinver.