The Enterprise Association UK

South East area Open Meeting Reports 2009

If you would like to send in a report, please email Jo Lankester 

Thames Valley Bowl, Frensham Pond SC
by Dick Lankester

On 11th April Frensham gave its best and a feeling of déjà vu with a repeat of last year’s conditions with a force 4 north-easterly backing and increasing 5, gusting force 7 which made for very exciting sailing, especially as we were sharing the day with a fleet of Larks.  Peter Jackson and Julie Bennett well and truly showed us the way it should be done by getting a good start and clearly winning all 3 races to take the Packard Cup.  Valiant efforts by home sailors Colin Gilbert and Ian Johnson gave them 2nd and 3rd in the first race but Colin’s tactic of resting up and entering the 3rd race was thwarted by a capsize.  More home sailors tried to challenge in the second, Roger Carter and Nick Carr taking 2nd and 3rd.  The conditions in the 3rd race proved too much for some, run back-to-back by our race officer Tim Hemsley, but we got off to a clean start after a general recall of the Larks.  It was then the turn of visitors Dick and Jo Lankester to take 2nd, their consistency awarded with a prize and a placing towards the Thames Valley Bowl.

Overall it was a great day if exhausting, which may explain why the tea table emptied very quickly, and it was improved by the presence of Bob and Paula Southworth flying the flag, or should I say orange stickers, for the Enterprise Association.

Results:

1^st Peter Jackson/Julie Bennett (Silver Wing SC)

2^nd Roger Carter/Keith Mundy (Frensham Pond SC)

3^rd Dick & Jo Lankester (Weir Wood SC)

4^th Nick Carr/Nick Stevens (Frensham Pond SC)

5^th Coin Gilbert/Sue Adam (Frensham Pond SC)

6^th Ian Johnson/David Hay (Frensham Pond SC)

7^th I. Simpson/A. Simpson (Alexandra YC)

8^th Allan Munroe-Faure/Stephanie Tollemache (South bank SC)

9^th Bob & Mary Boyd (Frensham Pond SC)

10^th Sylvia & Emma Rhodes (Frensham Pond SC)

Thirteen boats, including 4 visitors from as far away as Melton Mowbray, contested the first South Eastern Area Enterprise open meeting of the season at Silver Wing SC.

A variable breeze, ranging from a respectable force 3 to nothing, presented race officers Pete Smith and Pete Bennett with a fair challenge, but they were able to set a good course, with the fleet getting cleanly away on the first start. Pete Jackson led round the first mark, pursued by Chris and Laura Nokes. Roger Bennett and Dave Beaney were able to catch up and pass the second placed boat, and then followed a good tussle between themselves. Adam Wickenden was able however to pass them on the last lap to secure second, with Beaney third.

The second race saw slightly more wind. Pete Jackson again made the first mark in the lead. A big lift from the left hand side of the course saw Roger Bennett and Paul Playle, hotly pursued by Peter and Oliver Phillips, storm past the fleet to round in second and third places respectively. Beaney and Wickenden were however able to regain their position during the race, finishing second and third respectively with Roger Bennett in fourth.

Race three was started immediately after race two in a dying wind. Wickenden led round the first mark, followed by Jackson and Phil Chambers. Jackson retired, as the wind died to nothing, with two wins he did not need to finish. With the wind now gone and four boats retired, the race officer sensibly shortened course to less than a lap, although a slight puff did allow Roger Bennett to overtake Phil Chambers to gain third place.

2010 Battle of the Classes Pursuit at the Boat Show

The Battle of the Classes Pursuit Race was held on Sunday 17th January 2010, at the London Boat Show, ExCeL, on the Royal Victorian Dock. It was sponsored by 'British Sailing'. Sailors of 51 boats were welcomed by blue sky's, a reasonable temperature, a gentle South Westerly force 2 to 3, with the occasional extra puff, coming over the top of the Dome and sun sparkling off the massive dock.

 

Edwin Buckley and his team from The Royal Corinthian Yacht Club, Burnham ran the race and Richard Parsloe commentated in his usual irreverent manner.

 

 

Enterprise teams manoeuvre before their start

Our specially selected Enterprise team of David  Beaney and his son Alex and Phil Kirk and Sarah Gregson hit the start line right on the hooter with the GP14 and a Topper Xenon at 1219. At the first windward mark, well within view, and to the west, of the overhead bridge, David and Alex just had the edge on Phil and Sarah, reversing last years order. However this is more of a team race so tactics against each other were out. Both worked their way through the fleet and fought off most other faster classes with David and Alex increasing their lead over Phill and Sarah to a dozen boat lengths or so. However the, almost brand new, Graduate proved impossible to catch and the Firefly gave David and Alex a persistent challenge. The race lasting 103 minutes was hotly but very fairly contested and was a joy to watch from the bridge.

 

Close racing as both our boats round a mark. David and Alex pass under the bridge

Build up to the prize giving, held inside ExCeL, was heightened by the most amazing and energetic dance and singing routine from a group of young people, dressed in various sailing attire, from a dance college, topped by a young woman who added a new dimension to 'mast dancing' (fully clothed), which looked extremely dangerous.

 

Results 1st Graduate, Steve Cockerill and a young Harry Kennedy, 2nd Albacore, 3rd Finn, 4th Streaker, 5th Firefly, 6th Solo, 7th Enterprise (David and Alex) Phil and Sarah were 11th and a Mirror won the Juniors.

 

Sarah and Phil pass under the bridge. Third overall - Our top teams Sarah Gragson, Phil Kirk and David and Alex Beaney 

 

Team awards 1st Albacore, 2nd Solo, 3rd Enterprise, 4th Finn.

 

Once again well done the Enterprise Team because you have projected our class, in a positive and fair sailing way, to probably the largest live audience of dinghy racing in the world bar the Olympics.

 

Philip Chambers. South East Area Enterprise Association Coordinator.

 

Photographs by Glen Cole.

 

You can find the a table of the overall results here, and 170 photographs of the event taken bywww.MarineImages.co.uk here

Lots and lots of great photos here.