Sprint 15s Winter Series event 4 at Queen Mary SC

by UK Sprint 15 Association on 21 Feb 2012 The Sprint 15 fleet visited Queen Mary for the fourth event of their Winter Series on Saturday February 18.

With a weather forecast for the day of strong winds, this was always likely to be challenging test, and it certainly was. With winds of over 20 knots and gusting over 30 this threatened to be something more like from the series of 'Total Wipeout' than a pure sailing event!

Never mind, once again over 20 Sprint 15 sailors turned up for the event ready to give it a go. But with launching proving very difficult in the extreme conditions, only 17 managed to get on the water, and not everyone made it to the start line without a swim. Quite an achievement in the daunting conditions.

Race officers Charles and Jackie Wand-Tetley set the fleet a large square course on the western side of Queen Mary reservoir.

At the start of the first race, Grafham’s Mark Aldridge charged away from the line and immediately started to open up a big lead. Behind him, Rutland’s Steve Sawford and Howard Hawkes (Thorpe Bay) were in hot pursuit. Queen Mary sailor Gordon Goldstone was also there, but his racing came to an abrupt end on the second lap when his rigging gave way.

Robert England was doing well in the tough conditions, but he was gradually overhauled by Liam Thom (Shanklin) and Paul Craft.

Further back, the Draycote pair of Jan Elfring and Peter Slater were battling with Queen Mary’s Stewart Pegum and George Love (Carsington), who in turn were closely followed by Simon Hare and Darren Fichen.

At the finish line, Aldridge was well ahead of Sawford, Liam Thom made a great effort to take third ahead of Howard Hawkes, Paul Craft was fifth and Robert England sixth.

With the wind gusts hammering across the water it was inevitable it would take a toll and there would be a number of capsizes and non-finishers. Derek James, Gary Burrows and Ian Hope all succumbed to the weather and didn’t make it to the finish.

By the time of the second race, the wind had ratcheted up yet another notch, and it was a slightly depleted number of starters who lined up to go.

At the start, it was again Mark Aldridge who was fastest off the line, with Steve Sawford and Howard Hawkes in hot pursuit. As the race progressed it was becoming a battle of who could handle the weather the best, even big Simon Hare was finding this a struggle.

This was a tough race in the toughest of conditions. Aldridge led every lap, with Sawford repeatedly tacking off to try a different route, but never really managing to close the gap.

Howard Hawkes again did very well and Robert England produced his best sailing of the day to this time get ahead of Paul Craft and Liam Thom.

At the gun, it was again Aldridge from Sawford, Howard Hawkes was third ahead of Robert England, the consistent Paul Craft fifth and Jan Elfring with his best result in sixth.

Particular credit to Derek James, who didn’t finish the first race, but stayed out for the second race and managed to grab a ninth place in even worse conditions.

In the final analysis, Mark Aldridge with two first places in the most difficult conditions showed that he’s the man to beat when the wind is really blowing.

The final event in this hotly contested Sprint 15 Winter Series wraps up at Grafham on March 25th. It promises to be quite competitive.

Results at UK Sprint 15 Association website here