22/23 July - Christchurch Bay

Report by Stuart Jones 

24 Contenders descended on the warm and muggy shores of Mudeford in Dorset over the weekend of 22^nd and 23^rd July. There had been solid seabreezes all week but instead on Saturday, there was a spectacular thunderstorm giving some helms a slight jolt in the arm if holding a launching trolley. The flat calm following the storm lead to a few hours ashore. Racing was abandoned for the day which prompted the sun to shine and a nice force four seabreeze to build. Who would be a race officer. Simon Mussell, recently 4^th in the worlds, consoled the race officer and accompanied him to the bar. Broken leg last year, wobbly legs this.

Sunday looked to be a better prospect with a light force 2 for the first start. With the tide pushing the fleet over a general recall seemed inevitable, but from the restart local Geoff Bettle lead at the windward mark and was never caught despite some unnerving calm wind patches. He was chased home, on the shortened course, by Graham Scott and veteran Keith Paul.

 The second race got away first time and saw the right pay off. Scott and local sailor Gary Langdown pulled out a healthy lead to finish in that order just as the wind completely turned off. Rodger White and relative newcomer Chris Kirk followed up as the remainder of the fleet struggled to go against the tide, many being outside the half hour time limit.

Due to frustration or confusion that another race was on, many of the fleet went in. The final race was a small nine boat affair where the trapeze was actually used, just. Stuart Jones led at the first mark and went on to win but not without a lot of place changing in the patchy inshore breeze. Keith Paul was second, despite a windward mark incident with newcomer Martin Frary in third giving him a consistent series. Light wind curse Mark Robinson was fourth.

This left Graham Scott, ashore packed up and driving home, the winner.

As the prize giving was in motion, the late afternoon seabreeze kicked in. Who really would be a race officer. Thanks to Paul Walker and his team and not least the shore party or all their efforts.