Sailing Networks Abersoch Dinghy Week 2007 - Report

South Caernarvonshire YC hosted their annual Dinghy Week at Abersoch from July 22nd to 27th; with new lead sponsor Sailing Networks bringing their innovative, free web based service for sailors to an increasingly wider audience. Neilson Holidays donated an all inclusive Beachclubs holiday for two people and Performance Sailcraft kindly loaned a Laser Bahia, raced during the 6 day event.



Two hundred and sixty four boats raced in fifteen fleets. Numbers were down on previous years due to a clash with the Wakestock gig (due to move to another date next year) and flooding across parts of the country. Despite these, Dinghy Week remains one of the UK’s biggest single dinghy-only race weeks with an emphasis on a family holiday based event. There are morning or afternoon only races for each fleet run by Race Officers Pete Richards (mornings) and Barry McGill (afternoons) with a support team of twenty people on the SCYC bridge for each race officer.



It was a week of two weather patterns. The first three days giving light to moderate winds whilst the last three days were exhilarating, full-on strong wind racing, often at the limit of safe sailing conditions.



Each morning, there was a special inshore course for different ability levels of Optimist sailors. Further out at sea thirty-eight Lasers produced one of the most dominant Week’s winners in Michael Sims from Carsington who took five wins and a third. The only other race winner was third placed Andrew Wilde (Ogston) who lost on a tie break to Laser returnee and former Laser National Champion, Mike Budd (SCYC) who finished second. Phil Bishop (Sheffield Viking) was fourth ahead of Luke Bayliss (Carsington), RYA Zone Manager Chris Blackburn and Tim Mercer (West Lancs). Jono Shelley would have scored highly but had to count an OCS.

A tie break was also needed in the thirty two Solos to decide the winner. Andrew Fox (Crosby) just pipped Sheffield Viking’s Chris Gillard, both regular Dinghy Week attendees. Other Week regulars filled out the top six, Jonathan Gledhill (West Riding) some way clear on points from SCYC’s Tony Sampson (who counted a race win), Dinghy Week organiser Brian Holland (who somehow manages to find the time to race as well) and Mike Crompton (Budworth).

The Single Handed Fast Dinghies had RS 300s, 700 and International Canoe with Burton’s Bill Hooton winning in a Contender from the 300s of Tim Keen (Sheffield Viking) and Sam Sutton (Leigh & Lowton).

The Single Handed Slow Dinghies had everything from Laser 4.7 and Pico through to Phantoms, dominated in the end by the heavy weights in the Phantoms – Andy Couch from Rudyard Lake winning from Elton’s Mike Webster and Philip Worth.

Eighteen years out of the class had not blunted Josh Sharp’s ability to race Lasers, back for the first time in the Laser Radial fleet he book-ended the Week with two race wins and overall first. Brenda Hoult, who had won a previous Dinghy Week in the Solo fleet was second overall by mid week. She was then hampered by injury which gave Carsington’s Jenny Thompson the chance to use her two race wins to claim second. Third was Budworth’s Alison Hutton (another race winner) ahead of Sally Haslewood (Leigh & Lowton).

Other morning fleets were the GP14s where Bill Webber (Winsford Flash) won from SCYC’s Toby Taylor. They were followed by the Albacores where Winsford Flash members also dominated, Mike Banner winning from Paul Lennie. SCYC had the upper hand in the Toppers, all of whom braved the on the limit sailing at the end of the week, Elliot Mills winning from James Middleton and David Pollard. SCYC were also to the fore in the Cadet fleet where the late-week heavier conditions better suited Kate Robinson who pulled back ahead of early leader Emma Best with three late wins to take overall victory.

The afternoons opened up with the perennially popular Fireball fleet stretching their legs over the long sea courses. Weir Wood’s Andrew Pearce won from Bartley’s Gary Russam. Martin Bunn was third some way clear on points of fellow Chelmarsh sailors, Jonathan Carter and Mike Jones, the week only slightly marred for some Fireballs by a rule observance issue.

The Slow Mixed Dinghies followed with the mainly Snipe and Enterprise crews having to hike hard in the string winds. Former National Champion, Alan Johnson (SCYC, Enterprise) won on the final day from Budworth’s Commodore, Phil Hackney in a Snipe, fellow Budworth Sniper Eric Paalman finishing third. The Fast Mixed Dinghies had a more diverse range of classes but series regular Henry Wright from Carsington has obviously learnt his way round Cardigan Bay in his Merlin Rocket, winning from Burton’s Ross Kenney in a 505 and Russell Venning’s Laser 2000.



Many of the fleets reflect national trends and none did so more than the thirty-four strong RS200 fleet. Matt Jenkins (Sheffield Viking) was a clear winner but Budworth’s Dave Hivey only took second on a tie break from Chris Pickles (Delph). The top six were completed by Joseph Hothersall (Budworth), Ben Crompton (SCYC) and Budworth’s Kevin Gerald. Although close at the front the fleet were well spread in the windier conditions, with some of the lighter crews struggling and a dismasting keeping the rescue teams busy.

Bravely, Chris Gill (Portishead) steered his 49er to overall win in the Symmetric fleet ahead of the similarly intrepid twin-wire RS800s of Joseph Joyner (Lyme Regis) and Rutland’s Greg Liggins. The fleet included Boss, International 14, 29ers, B14s, ISO and Laser 4000 all of whom managed to cope with particularly windy days, their high speed three-sail passage through the array of often expensive, IRC boats moored off SCYC managed without real disaster.



The final fleet was the RS400. Still one of the most hard fought fleets it also contained some very fit sailors, if for no other reason than both Mike Budd, Jono Shelley and Chris Blackburn combined a morning of Laser racing with an afternoon of equally strenuous sailing. Perhaps sensibly, clear winner Paul Allen preserved his energy for the afternoon beating fellow Leigh & Lowton sailor Dave Exley into second. West Riding’s Hamish Gledhill finished third ahead of SCYC’s Mike Budd. Fifth was Steve Venables (Sutton), who was someway clear of sixth place Jono Shelley, who had not learned his lesson from the Laser, sailing quickly but inconsistently.

Budworth SC produced the largest number of entrants; SCYC won the best points score for a selected team of sailors and after six years, hardworking organisers Brian and Andrea Holland hand over the reins of this annual festival of dinghy racing to Sarah Lloyd and Alan Woosey.

Sailing Networks have promised to support the event for at least another two years, their generosity and ability to pull in other major contributors such as Neilson and Performance Sailcraft winning them competitors’ plaudits and subscribers to their web service (www.sailingnetworks.com) in equal large number. They also gave competitors easy access to all of Ingrid Abery’s stunning photographs taken at the event via her Hot Capers website (www.hotcapers.com). A selection of images from the week will be available for download by competitors. Full results are available on the SCYC website (www.scyc.co.uk).