Race Officer Report
The weekend started on a sour note with the discovery that someone had tried to break in to our container resulting in two damaged padlocks and a ragged lock box.
They didn’t get into the container but then neither could we – no mark boat and no marks!
Steve Champion made a quick trip to Westhaven to pick up their mark buoys and Kerry Earl arranged to pick up an inflatable dinghy and outboard from Family Boats in Te Rakau Drive to save the day.
We got organised and started the regatta at the scheduled time thanks to Steve, Kerry and Family Boats.
The forecast for Saturday was for mid-range SW breeze freshening in the afternoon.
Two Fleets (29 entries) racing under the SHRS system.
We started with a Southerly and then had a course change when the wind cranked around to SE.
A couple of races with the course diagonally across the pond and then another reset when the true forecast came back in from the South and remained that way for the rest of the afternoon.
Some heavy showers and then an increasing wind strength flattened the A-Rigs with everyone changing to B-rigs for the second half of the afternoon. Racing finished at 4.00pm with 9 qualifying rounds completed.
At the end of Day 1 there was only a point separating first (Ian Vickers) and second place (Rob Nelson), so there was everything to race for!
Sunday saw us start sailing across the Carpark end in the morning but the forecast NW was not really established and swung around to the North after we had managed another 2 qualifying rounds and the first of the Gold and Silver Finals.
We took an early lunch break to re-set the course to sail up and down the pond from the Eastern side.
After 2 more Finals races the true forecast NW kicked in so we returned to the Carpark end to complete the regatta.
Another very successful Championship despite some testing weather conditions.
In total we managed 11 Qualifying Rounds and 5 Finals – a total of 32 heats for the weekend.
Congratulations to Ian Vickers 1st, Rob Nelson 2nd and Phil Pride 3rd and to Lewis Avenell who won the Silver Fleet.
Thanks to all competitors who really made this an enjoyable event.
Thanks also to Ian Westlake (boatman, computer genius and assistant RO), John Porter (Result taker) and our umpires John Rountree and Roger Purdy who ensured a smooth-running regatta enjoyed by all.
Video of a couple of races here: https://youtu.be/ItgE8RGrC1g
Ross McClew
Race Officer
Wattle Farm
