Sir William Burton Cup Race 2010
Day Three began bright and sunny but with a distinct lack of wind making the Sir William Burton Cup race seem questionable. However, the wind did fill in but the fleet was held ashore until the wind had backed to a reasonably consistent F3 from the southwest. Launching at 1,45, after a long reach to the start the fleet got off the line for the title race of the event after the second time of trying at just after 3pm.
Keri and Theo Harris sailing a Foolish were the early leaders but it was not long before they were over hauled by various DCB’s. On the second beat Graham and Zoe took the lead from Tom and Nicky as they had banged a little too much to the right. After this Graham and Zoe extended their lead through the race to win comfortably after the 13 mile distance by a good 2 minutes.
The wind was variable both in strength and direction, throughout the race and the fleet made it ashore at around 6.30pm, leaving them a short time before the Burton Cup Dinner.
Final Day:
Going into the final day with two races to be sailed, two points separated the three leading boats of Richards/Mackley, Stewart/Bass and Ibbotson/Stewart with Camm and Ballantyne slightly adrift in fourth. Light zephyrs quickly built into a decent breeze. Round the first mark of the first race Ibbotson and Stewart held the advantage but this was cruelly removed by a rudder failure that put them out of contention. Kevin Iles and Jane Wade won the race with Camm and Ballantyne improving their scores with a second. With Stewart and Bass in fifth, two places ahead of Richards and Mackley these two went into the final race level on points with Camm and Ballantyne closer but still four points behind.
In the final race Camm and Ballantyne were never headed and sailed to a clear win. Stewart and Bass never recovered from a poor start whilst Richards and Mackley were in the leading group. However, on the final lap Richards and Mackley slipped a place to 5th which left them level on points with Camm and Ballantyne and ruing a capsize earlier in the week which had provided them with a discard and a first place for Camm and Ballantyne.
Elsewhere in the fleet the competition for best of the rest in non Dead Cat Bounce designs was won by John Meadowcroft and Rosie White in their Paradigm 2, who edged out Richard Williams and Lindsey Iles in their Final Chapter. Steve Norbury and Andy Hill in their Feeling Foolish would have certainly featured without also suffering from gear failure on two occasions. The Corrigan Cup for helms under 21 was won by Matt Reid and Eleanor Assinder, whilst Jo Richards took home the prizes for helm over 40 and 55. The Admirals Cup for older boats was won by Steve Broom and Emily Fardell, and the Vintage boats prize was won by Brian Kitching and Christine Marshall.
Overall it was a thoroughly enjoyable and hard fought Championships.
