Javelin National Championships at Glossop Sailing Club
by Richard Smith 28-31 August 2009
Glossop and District Sailing Club played host to the 2009 Javelin National Championships over the August Bank Holiday weekend. Competitors arrived from all over the UK to compete for prizes in the Gold, Silver and Bronze fleets sponsored by North Sails, Marlow Ropes and Harken.
With a less than promising weather forecast for the weekend, racing got underway promptly on the Saturday in a strengthening SW force 5. Brian and David Earl, 558, got a clean start with Ben and Dick Fisher, 566, in close company and Richard and Kathryn Smith, 568, not far behind. The Earls lead the fleet round the windward mark followed by the Smiths having passed the Fishers on the first beat. The Smiths managed to pass the Earls to take the lead which they held until the finish with the Earls taking 2nd, the Fishers finishing 3rd and Gavin and Rosie Johnson 4th.
The second race on the Saturday was tightly faught between the Earls and the Smiths with placings changing constantly throughout the race. After a good spinnaker gybe, the Smiths gained the lead on the last reach where they managed to defend their position to the finish. The final placings were the same as race one.
Sunday morning arrived with incredibly shifty and gusty conditions. In race three, the Earls sailed into the lead from the start and increased their lead throughout. The positions within the fleet were constantly changing due to the difficult weather conditions, the Johnsons, 565, came 5th having had a close race with Roger Partington and Steven Tinsley, 546, who came 6th and Cliff Sagar and Andy Cross, 559, finishing 7th.
The Smiths sailed off into a lead that was never threatened which left the rest of the fleet to fight it out for positions in race four. The hard weather conditions started taking its toll with many capsizes throughout the fleet. Father and son, Brian and Mark Dixon (aged 12) showed extreme courage being heavily over powered they still managed to fly their spinnaker to give them a credible 5th place.
The wind dropped slightly for race five, the Earls knew they needed to beat the Smiths to stay in contention. They made a good start and rounded the windward mark in 1st place with the Smiths putting on the pressure rounding in 2nd followed by Andy Downie and Jane Partington, 543, in 3rd and the Fishers in 4th. The positions were constantly changing throughout the race, on the final lap the Smiths managed to take 1st place with Downie and Partington 2nd and the Earls 3rd.
Competitors woke on the Monday to extreme conditions, the wind back with a vengeance to a force 5 gusting 6. It was all to play for between 566, 543, 565 and 546 battling for third place. Final placings:
The fleet would like to say a big thank you to everyone at Glossop and District SC and the event sponsors (North Sails, Marlow Ropes and Harken) for an excellent regatta.
Top 6 results
1st Richard & Kathryn Smith
2nd Briand & David Earl
3rd Ben & Richard Fisher
4th Andy Downie & Jane Partington
5th Gavin & Rosie Johnson
6th Roger Partington & Steven Tinsley
With a less than promising weather forecast for the weekend, racing got underway promptly on the Saturday in a strengthening SW force 5. Brian and David Earl, 558, got a clean start with Ben and Dick Fisher, 566, in close company and Richard and Kathryn Smith, 568, not far behind. The Earls lead the fleet round the windward mark followed by the Smiths having passed the Fishers on the first beat. The Smiths managed to pass the Earls to take the lead which they held until the finish with the Earls taking 2nd, the Fishers finishing 3rd and Gavin and Rosie Johnson 4th.
The second race on the Saturday was tightly faught between the Earls and the Smiths with placings changing constantly throughout the race. After a good spinnaker gybe, the Smiths gained the lead on the last reach where they managed to defend their position to the finish. The final placings were the same as race one.
Sunday morning arrived with incredibly shifty and gusty conditions. In race three, the Earls sailed into the lead from the start and increased their lead throughout. The positions within the fleet were constantly changing due to the difficult weather conditions, the Johnsons, 565, came 5th having had a close race with Roger Partington and Steven Tinsley, 546, who came 6th and Cliff Sagar and Andy Cross, 559, finishing 7th.
The Smiths sailed off into a lead that was never threatened which left the rest of the fleet to fight it out for positions in race four. The hard weather conditions started taking its toll with many capsizes throughout the fleet. Father and son, Brian and Mark Dixon (aged 12) showed extreme courage being heavily over powered they still managed to fly their spinnaker to give them a credible 5th place.
The wind dropped slightly for race five, the Earls knew they needed to beat the Smiths to stay in contention. They made a good start and rounded the windward mark in 1st place with the Smiths putting on the pressure rounding in 2nd followed by Andy Downie and Jane Partington, 543, in 3rd and the Fishers in 4th. The positions were constantly changing throughout the race, on the final lap the Smiths managed to take 1st place with Downie and Partington 2nd and the Earls 3rd.
Competitors woke on the Monday to extreme conditions, the wind back with a vengeance to a force 5 gusting 6. It was all to play for between 566, 543, 565 and 546 battling for third place. Final placings:
The fleet would like to say a big thank you to everyone at Glossop and District SC and the event sponsors (North Sails, Marlow Ropes and Harken) for an excellent regatta.
Top 6 results
1st Richard & Kathryn Smith
2nd Briand & David Earl
3rd Ben & Richard Fisher
4th Andy Downie & Jane Partington
5th Gavin & Rosie Johnson
6th Roger Partington & Steven Tinsley
