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Burtonweek 2015

22-25 August            Herne Bay Sailing Club

Day 1, Saturday 22 August

One of the best sailing days of the year with wall to wall sunshine, temperatures in the thirties and fleet desperate to go afloat to cool down.  What a great start to this year’s championships.

Two races were sailed back to back, the fleet got away cleanly in race 1.  Antony and Jo Gifford making a welcome return to championship sailing, took the right hand shift from the committee boat and led from start to finish, followed home by Jon Ibbotson and Charlotte Stewart and in third, 2014 national champion, Tom Stewart crewed by Andrea Downham.

Further down the fleet, preview writer John Meadowcroft had to lower his mainsail half way up the second beat to resolve an extreme mainsheet tangle.  Dave Peacock, sailing his vintage China Doll, was highly competitive against much newer boats. After a quick turn around (the committee boat being very small, the race officer and his team probably don’t want to spend too much time in it), race 2 got underway.  Five boats went back at the start thinking that they were over the line, with just one of those boats actually having been over. John ‘guns out’ Meadowcroft, crewed by son Ollie burnt up the first beat to lead round the windward mark, closely followed by Steve Sallis crewed by Katy Meadowcroft.  Steve Sallis shot into the lead downwind but after 2 laps decided it was time to finish and headed for the line, while the rest of the fleet headed up the last beat.  Despite a valiant catch up attempt, Graham Camm and Zoe Ballantyne took advantage to take the win with Steve and Katy hanging on to second and Tom and Andrea in third.

First spectacular swim of the week was from Jeremy and Luke Hartley, sailing ‘Dead Cat Bounce’, with a superb transom stand at the wing mark, whilst in second place. They recovered well to finish in 7th place. The Herne Bay slipway team get full marks for a very efficient effort in getting the fleet ashore in super quick time.

Sunday is the Sir William Burton Cup Race day, 4 laps of a triangular course each leg a mile long.  It’s going to be a great day.

 Top 3 after 2 races   1:  Jon Ibbotson / Charlotte Stewart N3540  2:  Tom Stewart / Andrea Downham N3544  3: Steve Sallis / Katy Meadowcroft