SAILING NEWS Association News 13
National 12s at Ripon
and Yeadon Tarn
AFTER the rain and gales of the previous and Philip and Helen David in their Baggy last lap as the breeze dropped that the a number of swims. Gerald and Nicholas
day, the sun and light breezes were a wel- Trousers soon hit the front of the fleet, Cheethams were able to ghost ahead of the Copsey finished 4th and were the first AC
come change for the helms and crews of the clearly in the sort of form that won them the Crusader and register another emphatic win boat over the line.
nineteen National 12s who gathered at trophy in 2007, pulling ahead of Team to take the trophy. The wind continued to strengthen over
Yeadon Tarn to sail for the Tarn Trophy. Cheetham for their first win of the day. Neil At the prizegiving, Howard Chadwick was lunch and a much reduced fleet of just 15
With 15 different designs on the water McInnes and Felix Morgan in Baggy also awarded the Witchcraft Bailer Trophy boats took to the water for race 2. With
spanning 40 years of development the out- Trousers were close behind in 3rd with visi- for his overall win in the 2008 N12 Vintage gusts of over 45mph recorded in the club-
come was by no means certain. With the tors Simon and Matt Hopkins from Up Series house those on the shore enjoyed the thrills
wind from a north to north-easterly direc- River SC in their Crusader getting to grips The penultimate meeting of the 2008 Gill and spills taking place on the water – once
tion, the Race Officer was able to set a beat with the conditions to finish strongly in 4th series was hosted by Ripon Sailing Club on again Graham and Zoe kept dry and flew.
making full use of the restricted water and place Saturday 4 October, with 28 boats compet- Philip and Sam took 2nd place, with Steve
Race 1 got underway at the first attempt. After lunch, the wind freshened considera- ing. and Joanne in 3rd. Mark Simpson and Katy
The breeze favoured those on the starboard bly for the start of the final race and, with The weather lived up to the forecast, with Oyston finished 4th.
side of the course and it was from this boats crowding in at the pin-end, the inevi- the first race getting underway with a force The spectators on the bank grew for race 3
group that the leaders emerged with John table happened and the David’s, comforta- 4 with some pretty vicious gusts. After a lot with just 9 boats venturing out. Graham
and Alison Cheetham in their Numinous bly lined up for the start, were forced to of swimming just half the fleet finished the and Zoe took line honours again, with Steve
design taking the gun. Howard Chadwick retire after being holed by an over-enthusi- race – Graham and Zoe taking line honours and Joanne nearly losing out to Philip and
and Helen Nicholson in their 1966 vintage astic windward boat. Once the fleet had got and showing everyone it was possible to sail Sam when they capsized, but getting the
Starfish sailed exceptionally well to take itself sorted out it was the Hopkins who led the course without swimming. Steve and boat upright and moving again just before
second place in front of Bernard Clark and for much of the way - with the two local Joanne Sallis finished 2nd. Philip Benn and the fleet overhauled them. They held their
Ian Towers in their Final Chapter helms John Cheetham and Howard Sam Towers, sailing Roly Mo, took 3rd place to finish 2nd, with Philip and Sam 3rd
Race 2 got underway almost immediately, Chadwick in hot pursuit. It was only on the place clearly enjoying the conditions despite and the Copsey’s 4th.
No wind, too
.....and a
much current
tricky breeze
at Henley......
at Salcombe
ON arrival at Henley there was so little place.
13 National 12s, including 6 visitors, met sheet meant that at least 3 boats had a
wind and so much current that it looked like On the third start there were some last
in Salcombe for a very sunny weekend on chance of winning the event. A very light
the day would be spent sitting on the river- minute ducking manoeuvres on an already
the 11 and/12th October. and tricky breeze didn’t prevent Happy
bank in the sunshine. Fortunately some crowded line. Graham & Zoë managed to
The first race was held after lunch on Hour from getting away to a great start,
breeze filled in and twelve N12s took to the keep clear of the resulting mess to take the
Saturday. The flooding tide and attendant rounding the windward mark ahead of
water for three races. lead. John & Katy were snapping at their
sea breeze gave the fleet a choice of which Monkey Business and Full Monty.
In the first race, John & Katy Meadowcroft heels round the leeward mark, but Graham
side to take up the first beat. The beach They extended their lead to the 2nd buoy,
caught a personal gust which pulled them & Zoë just managed to ghost across the fin-
side took the advantage with Paradigm but on the way back down the estuary
just into the lead. Despite several minutes ish line ahead.
Shift (Dave Peacock & Tricia Wood) those 3 boats closed back up. Up the beat
when the wind died and the whole fleet
rounding the windward mark in the lead, back past the race hut Full Monty managed
drifted backwards into a large tangle, John Results
followed by Happy Hour (John to get ahead of Monkey Business down the
& Katy managed to hold on to their lead to 1. Graham Camm & Zoë Ballantyne
Meadowcroft & Jenny Wilson). beach side of the estuary, but Happy Hour
the end. Babel Fish
The long run back down the estuary and looked to be travelling well up the town
In the second race, there was a lot of close Burghfield SC
through the bag allowed Monkey Business bank. It looked like Happy Hour had made
short-tacking up the bank between Graham 2 John & Katy Meadowcroft
(Jon Ibbotson & Andy Douglas), Zippy a great decision, but lost the wind getting
& Zoë, John & Katy, John & Mandy Happy Hour
(Fran Gifford & Sophie Mackley) and Full to the buoy allowing Full Monty to round
Thornton and Mike Day & Anne Murch. Henley SC
Monty (John & Mandy Thornton) to catch first.
John & Katy got caught up by the pack 3 John & Mandy Thornton
the leaders. Eventually it was the Full There was further place swapping before
behind, but the other three managed to stay Full Monty
Monty who managed to round the leeward the finish, but the Full Monty regained the
ahead, with Graham & Zoë finishing in first Henley SC
mark first. They managed to hold the lead lead on the fetch to the finish allowing
for the next couple of marks of the estuary them to take the race and the weekend.
tour before being overtaken on the last leg Monkey Business held off Zippy to get 3rd
of the shortened course by Monkey in the race, and 2nd overall.
Business. Paradigm Shift held onto 3rd.
Sunday dawned shrouded in mist, but this
lifted before the scheduled start to reveal a Results
good offshore wind. 1. John & Mandy Thornton
The majority of the fleet chose to start by The Full Monty
the beach to give a long starboard tack, but Henley Sailing Club
a large lift allowed Full Monty and Zippy 2. Jon Ibbotson & Andy Douglas
who started in the middle of the line to Monkey Business
take a good lead up to the windward mark, Oxford & Cambridge SS
rounding in that order with Happy Hour 3. Fran Gifford & Sophie Mackley
(with Katy Meadowcroft crewing) in 3rd. Zippy
After that the race changed as the sea Aldeburgh YC
breeze tried to establish itself. A number 4. John & Katy Meadowcroft
of doldrums and random wind shifts car- Happy Hour
ried the fleet slowly out of the estuary Henley Sailing Club
towards a missing buoy.
After some confusion the fleet all rounded
the same mark to finish the course with For further information on the National 12
Zippy taking the honours (on Fran’s birth- Association visit their website:
day), followed by Full Monty and then www.national12.org
Paradigm Shift.
One race to go, and a very even results
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