Sailing Club the night before, Ranelagh hosted the Royal Thames Yacht Club

N12 Open on Sunday 31st Jan. Hangovers and croaky throats were rejuvenated

by ample bacon sandwiches, tea and coffee thanks to Helen and Clare Hilditch

and Class Chairman Jane Jones and set everybody up for the racing.

Seven visitors joined four home boats to take part in the first of the

eleven event '99 Thames Area series. In more wind than many thought was

there the race got under way. Jon and Charlotte Ibbotson judged their start

correctly on the tide and were immediately into a commanding lead. The line

shy rest of the fleet led by Graham Camm and Chris Jeeves, last years

winners Caroline and Eleanor Martin, and locals John Stokes (Royal Thames

member) and Pat Balm in the oldest boat in the fleet N1277 gave chase.

The course, a long sausage following the bend in the river gave a long fetch

which gradually freed in one direction, and a close fetch which turned into

a run on the return leg. Occasionally a costly tack out into the tide had to

be made. On the first return leg Caroline and Eleanor closed right up and

eventually got past Jon & Char, and towards the end of the leg they were

joined by Graham & Chris and Bim Daser & Heather Back. Around the mark it

was the Martins, followed by Graham & Chris, the Ibbotsons and Bim &

Heather. These four continued to contest the lead and on the next return leg

ended up running line abreast. Bim & Heather sailing closest to the bank and

staying out of the tide managed to edge ahead by the mark, but were closely

followed by the Martins, Graham & Chris, and the Ibbotsons.

Behind this group places were also changing with Brian Herring & Ros

Stevenson in their Grebe design pulling through the fleet into fifth, and

Sarah and Kate Edwards sailing together in their first 12 Open meeting lying

a very creditable sixth.

Although the gaps opened and closed to provide tense moments for all this

order remained for the final lap with Bim & Heather taking the winning gun.

Once ashore there was further food from the hardworking girls in the kitchen

who had very charitably forgone their sailing to cater for the event.

Event 1 Results:

Place, Sail No., Boat Name, Design, Helm & Crew, Club

1st, N3410, "Feeling Foolish", Feeling Foolish, Bim Daser & Heather Back,

Ranelagh SC

2nd, N3283, "New Tricks", Design 8, Caroline & Eleanor Martin, Burghfield SC

3rd, N3378, "Shake Yer Beans", Freak Out, Graham Camm & Chris Jeeves, Trent

Valley SC

4th, N3398, "Charlotte Sometimes", Design 8, Jon & Charlotte Ibbotson, Royal

Harwich YC

5th, N3386, "French Connection", Grebe, Brian Herring & Ros Stevenson,

Redesmere SC

6th, N3362, "Queen of Puddings", Final Chapter, Sarah & Kate Edwards,

Ranelagh SC

7th, N1277, "Flying Saucer", Flying Saucer, John Stokes & Pat Balm RTYC,

Ranelagh SC

8th, N3344, "Ella Grunge", Final Chapter, Paul & Judy Griffiths, Bough Beech

SC

9th, N3091, "Straight & Narra", Design 6, Andrew & Michael Brothwell,

Bexhill SC

Rtd, N3111, "42" Baggy Trousers, Christopher & Anthony Edwards, Ranelagh SC

Rtd, N3345, "Fearsome Flybynight", Final Chapter, Dave & Elizabrth Wilkins,

Spinnaker SC