The 2007 UK Albacore Nationals were won by our visitors from America,
Barney (Mr USA Albacore) Harris and David Byron – they won the
penultimate race and with it the championships. Orlando Gledhill and
John Frary were runners up with Chris Turner and Simon Maguire third.
A light Force 2 – 3 North-Easterly gradually veered during the 2
races round to the South-East forcing the Race Team from Swanage S C
to have to move the course several times, during and between races.
Making a welcome return to the front of the fleet in the last race
was Neville Herbert crewed by Kay Woods in his father’s new plastic
Speed boat – in fact in the last race 5 of the first 6 boats
including the winner were of the GRP persuasion.
In October this year there will be an opportunity for the UK sailors
to take on Barney Harris on his own waters of Chesapeake Bay, USA
together with the rest of the US and Canadian fleets at the biennial
International Albacore championships. 8 Boats are going on the
container from the UK but there is still the opportunity to charter a
boat in the States.
Final results ( 33 entries)
1 Barney Harris and David Byron Potomac River S C
2 Orlando Gledhill & John Frary Queen Mary S C
3 Chris Turner & Simon Maguire Lyme Regis/ Tynemouth S Cs
4 Jerry Rook & James Wallace Lyme Regis S C
5 John Herbert & Mark Calvert Parkstone S C
6 Richard Gray & Bill Law Parkstone S C
Mean while in Cambridge, MD consistent 8-12 knot conditions gave the
fleet of 10 Albacores a spectacular weekend of sailing that included
9 (or was it 10) races over two days. RC work included the expected
home spun attributes, but man did Chris Holtz and his family team of
committee members, from Indiana and Washington state, crank out the
races. Even the required lunch break on Saturday only interrupted
the sailing for 30 minutes, otherwise giving us solid racing from
10:30AM to about 4 PM and from 10 to 1 on Sunday.
The racing was very close with leads constantly changing in the
shifting conditions. Erich Hesse and Jen Kohl made everyone look
silly in the first race as they held left into the building pressure
while the rest of the fleet fought each other on the right. But the
long W-L courses gave plenty of opportunity for those behind to get
back in the game. In one of the Sunday races, Khin Thein arrived at
the top mark with a substantial lead. He and a trailing pack
followed the rhumb line down as the tail-enders rounded with easterly
push of the sea breeze filling and carrying them over the top of all
the leaders. Daphne Byron and Mary Pedley showed the fleet the way
to the windward mark in a couple of races and Bob Bear with team
Indefatigable escaped from mid-fleet to show some great speed. Greg
Jordan, sailing with 9 year old Ryder, showed some promise on the
first day, but was blazing fast on the second day after an extreme
makeover of his boat. Amid all this fun, Peter Duncan with Delaney
Jordan on board for the third year in a row, kept pecking away with
2nds and 3rds with a few firsts scattered in. When the dust settled
the results were very close. Peter and Delaney won the event, with
Erich Hesse (and Mike Heinsdorf on day two) breaking a tie with Greg
and Ryder Jordan for second.
I think Daphne has the full results and Chris Holtz has promised to
have them up on the web soon. Thanks to all who came, it was a
wonderful weekend...=
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