Open meeting reports

Merlins at Wembley, Canoes at Blithfield, Lightnings at Fishers Green

David Preou reports on Lightnings at Fishers Green

The Lightning’s joined with the Comets for their annual open meeting on Saturday the 26th April 2003. The day started overcast with light S.W.Winds, the forecast for increasing winds during the day. The race officer deciding to have one race in the morning, with two in the afternoon, to coincide with the forecast.

The first race started with little wind and those starting at the starboard end of the line appeared to benefit. A short beat up to the first windward mark saw Pressey and Preou round first with Smith close behind, the remainder on the port side delayed by lack of wind. Pressey, Preou and Smith were in close contention up to the Gybe mark, Pressey keeping just ahead. Preou overtook Pressey on the downwind leg and the rest of the fleet closed up as the wind began to fill in. At the 2nd windward mark (a strategically placed ‘X’ mark in the middle of the lake), the tail-enders began to catch up as the wind increased. Hartland & Ian Gore began to make their presence felt and at the end of the first round, Gore & Hartland led with Preou, Key, Smith & Alex Gore close behind. At the finish Ian Gore kept ahead of Hartland followed by Key, Alex Gore, Smith, Preou & Pressey, with Colin Boltwood (entering his first open) following on.
After the lunchtime break the wind began to strengthen as predicted with the occasional gusts. A course change was made which resulted in the downwind leg becoming a reaching leg.

The visitors now finding their way round more easily, made for a much closer race, with Hartland & I Gore making their way to the front early on, with Key, A Gore & Preou close behind. Hartland followed by I Gore maintained their lead to the finish, Key, A Gore and Preou battling for 3rd place with Smith & Pressey having their own dual at the rear.

The 3rd race followed back to back, the wind strengthening all the time which gave rise to some exciting reaches & tricky mark roundings. Hartland & I Gore each having won a race made the 3rd and final race a decider. Hartland went ahead at the first windward mark again followed closely by I Gore with Preou in close contention and Key & A Gore just behind. Hartland maintained his lead with Key & A Gore getting ahead of Preou. The race officer decided on a longer race than the previous allowing the Comets to finish a lap earlier, this resulted in more place changes in the middle of the fleet. Third placed A Gore was caught by a nasty gust and the inevitable capsize, this allowed Preou to overtake with Key just behind. At the finish Hartland was just ahead of I Gore but finishing with several Comets, this impeded his progress allowing Gore to sneak ahead across the line, Preou followed with Key closing fast.

Final Placings:
First Place: Ian Gore (Up River Y.C.)
Second Place: Mal Hartland (Bolton S.C.)
Third Place: Caroline Key (West Oxfordshire S.C.) Fourth Place: David Preou (Fishers Green S.C.)
Fifth Place: Alex Gore (Up River Y.C.)
Sixth Place: Mike Smith (Stewartby & Wellyn S.C.)