National 12 Dinghy Shack National Series Round 4 at Yorkshire Dales Sailing Club

Startline action during the Yorkshire Dales National 12 Open © Paul Hargreaves Photography

The fourth event in the Dinghy Shack National Series was at Yorkshire Dales SC over the weekend of 18th and 19th June.

The club pulled out the stops to welcome the fleet with sunshine and pleasant conditions. Unfortunately, numbers for the event were down, probably a result of petrol prices, exam season and a clash with the BYS Regional Youth Championship at Ullswater.

In normal open meeting event style however by the time we launched the pleasant conditions had changed and it had turned grey, and had become cold and windy.

Mark & Emma Simpson during the Yorkshire Dales National 12 Open - photo © Paul Hargreaves Photography

Race 1 set the tone for the day with Philip and Emma leading the pack up the first beat with John and Alison working their way up to second. The second race was similar to the first but slightly windier making the gybes more interesting with Tony and Martin checking the water temperature at some point. Everyone came off the water cold and looking forward to warming up over lunch.

With warmer gear on Race 3 turned out to same as 1 and 2 with Philip and Emma winning again. Race 4 was guaranteed a different winner as Philip and Emma had to miss the last race because a pre-arranged commitment, then as we went into starting sequence John and Alison decided they needed to save themselves for Day 2. Tony and Martin set off and sailed a great first beat leaving Neil and Catherine to chase behind. Downwind the gap started to reduce but Tony was having mainsheet issues, which enabled Neil and Catherine to get past at the leeward mark while a hasty repair was undertaken and into the lead which they held to the finish.

Philip David & Emma Hampshire leading into the gybe mark during the Yorkshire Dales National 12 Open - photo © Paul Hargreaves Photography

The fleet regathered the following morning and we welcomed Mark and Emma Simpson to join us. Conditions were similar to Saturday but brighter and slightly less wind.

The addition of Mark and Emma to the fleet didn't upset Philip and Emma's rhythm who went on to win both the morning races leaving Mark and Emma fighting it out with John and Alison for second place glory.

John & Alison Cheetham powering upwind during the Yorkshire Dales National 12 Open - photo © Paul Hargreaves Photography

After another good lunch the wind started to go light and go round to the north creating problems for the OOD to set a course as the wind varied ! This race was much closer at the front however your correspondent seemed to be in a different wind system and miles back so had to rely on the results to find out that John and Alison had won that race.

For the last race the wind had settled and steadied again. Mark and Emma tried to confuse the fleet by heading for the wrong windward mark but the rest of us went for the right mark leaving Mark and Emma to have to chase through the fleet however Philip and Emma and John and Alison had got a safely ahead. The more exciting racing seemed to be at the back of the fleet with Tony and Martin and Neil and Catherine close throughout the race with Tony and Martin having to shoot the finish line to stay ahead at the end.

All smiles during the Yorkshire Dales National 12 Open - photo © Paul Hargreaves Photography

So overall Philip and Emma were clear winner with John and Alison were second while the rest of us tight on points for the minor places.

In his winner's speech Philip thanked Yorkshire Dales SC, the Race Office Teams and everyone involved in the weekend for being such fine, generous hosts and to the Series Sponsors, Dinghy Shack, for their prizes and support and to Paul Hargreaves Photography for printing off pictures from Saturday's sailing for us to take home with us.

A great weekend's sailing was had by all (and there were a few aches the following morning after the full-on weekend, well at least for me anyway) !

Overall Results: