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Burtonweek 2015

22-25 August            Herne Bay Sailing Club

Day 2:  Sir William Burton Cup and race 4

The day dawned with blue skies, white horses and some decisions on what to wear.  By the time the decisions were made, the white horses had disappeared and decisions were revised.

The fleet headed out on schedule but had to wait some time on the water for the wind to settle and swing round to the south. When we started, the fleet got away cleanly with Jon Ibbotson and Charlotte Stewart leading round the windward mark with Graham Camm and Zoe Ballantyne and Tom Stewart and Andrea Downham hot on their heels.  Jon and Charlotte held their lead to the gybe mark, only to be overtaken by the end of the second reach.

Graham and Zoe led to the finish, completing the Burton Cup, which consists of a 4 laps of a triangle course, with each leg at least one mile long, in 2 hours and 50 minutes. Tom and Andrea finished second with Jeremy and Luke Hartley closing in on them to finish 3rd, ahead of Jon and Charlotte. The most closely fought battle of the race took was decided by an intense tacking battle on the short beat to the finish between the Thorntons, Giffords and Meadowcrofts. John and Mandy Thornton squeezed through into 5th followed by John and Olly Meadowcroft then Anthony and Jo Gifford. The first non-foiler to cross the line, in 9th place, was sailed by Nigel and Chris White.

The race officer sorted out a quick turnaround to set off a second shorter race once the Burton Cup was complete. The fleet were keen, and with the tide pushing them on to the committee boat, some pulled the trigger early in a bid to stay clear, resulting in a general recall. The race officer opted to start under a penalty flag, and the fleet got away cleanly. Steve Sallis and Katie Meadowcroft lead round the windward mark, followed by Tom and Andrea, then Zoe and Graham, who worked low to creep up to second place by the leeward mark. The next beat saw the top 3 boats changing places, but Steve and Katie made it to the top mark first. With increased wind, Andrea and Tom enjoyed the reach to round the gybe mark in first and hold this position to the line. Steve and Katie crossed in 2nd, with Graham and Zoe just inches behind.

The fleet were welcomed home with sunshine and Pimms on the shore, a very welcome sight after a long day on the water!