Sailing update - Second championships for Looe Bay Club

Looe Sailing Club hosted its second National Championships in two weeks, this time for the Scorpion Fleet.

Fifty-three two handers took part, travelling from as far afield as St Andrews in Scotland, to sail in a six race series, plus crews race and single handed race.

Conditions were varied, ranging from no wind on Sunday, which saw an abandonment, enabling the committee boat team to fish for their supper (where did all those mackerel go Paddy?) to strong winds in midweek.

Scorpion President Dick Elston's presentations at the Boscarn Hotel were very slick indeed considering the number of prizes to be awarded.

He was full of praise for Looe Sailing Club's handling of the week both on and off the water. Thanking race officer Peter Pascoe and assistant Steve Sargent and their race team including safety boat crews, also beach-master Nick Soady with assistant Arthur Pike, not forgetting the beach party who ensured the trollies were always in the right place at the right time.

Club stewardess Charlotte Jaycock and her bar team were congratulated on keeping everyone's thirst quenched during the social events.

After another successful week club members are now looking forward to getting their own boats on the water.

Results - 1st John Mursell and Ian Cadwallader (Castle Cove SC); 2nd Peter Harper and Tim Parsons (Beer SC); 3rd, Dave Woodhead and Jerry Hannabus (Elton SC); 4th, Steve Morrison and Liam Murray (Exe SC); 5th Nigel Potter and Martin Worth (Notts County SC); 6th Kevin Gosling and A J Eaton (Sidmouth SC).

The first race of the third series of Saltash Thursday night racing started in sunny weather with south to south easterly winds force 3 to 4. Unfortunately the sun didn't last and soon the rain filled in leaving it rather dismal by the end of the race. The course for IRC and PYA was Lyhner, Camel's Head, Brunel Green and for PYB Hamoaze was the second mark instead of Camel's Head.

The race started at low tide and first off the line in each class were Judicious (John Lillie) in IRC, Mr Shifter (Marcus Anderson) in PYA and Enigma (Gordon Phypers) in PYB. The fact that it was low tide caused problems for several boats in the PYA and PYB classes with Parabellum (Colin Higman), Mr Shifter and Guesswork (Helen Maiming) coming off worst. Parabellum, having run aground twice in fairly quick succession and Guesswork who stuck fast aground for several minutes, both eventually decided to retire from the race. Marcus Anderson preferred to describe his experience on Mr Shifter as "doing some dredging and giving a few crabs a bit of a headache"

Lacewing (Terry Curtis) took line honours in the IRC race but it was only enough to give them third place on corrected time, whereas Judicious crossing second managed to win beating Firestorm Too (Paul Radgick) by almost two minutes on corrected time. In the PYA race Jabberwocky (Brian Cann) took line honours and won on corrected time, with Hello (Gerry Smith) coming second and Chancer (Martin Watts) coming third. The same happened in PYB with Enigma taking line honours and winning on corrected time. Nein Nein Fraulein (Paul Ormsby) took second place and Flasher (Tony Woodhouse) took third.

Results - IRC A + B - Judicious (John and Nina Lillie); Firestorm Too (Paul Radgick); Lacewing (Terry Curtis).

PYA - Jabberwocky (Brian Cann), Hello (Gerry Smith); Chancer (Martin Watts).

PYB - Enigma (Gordon Phypers), Nein Nein Nein Fraulein (Paul Ormsby); Flasher (Tony Woodhouse).

The course setter for Torpoint Mosquito Tuesday Series set a shorter course taking into consideration a late change in wind direction and strength. Some humour prevailed - West Mud to Rubble to Ferry - no problem - but 12 times!

Division IIA saw the lighter, faster boats on the line for the gun, 1850 for the slower boats in the class hedging their bets over the line. Cathy had the lucky break not having made the best start found the wind filling in from the west and leading not quite from the start but definitely to the finish.

Division IIB having a more difficult task ahead with more tide and at times less wind struggled to sail the similar course with only three of the five starters finishing the race.

Class 2B - Crisp (M Swain), Sweet Pea (E Watts), Macavity (R Humpherson).

2A - Cathy (J Snawdon), Dogs Jorrocks (S Wassell); Echo (J Fisher).