Open training & race report - RWYC

Last Saturday (22nd) saw the Royal Windermere Yacht Club (RWYC) host it's first ever open coaching session for Mirror Class dinghies. The event was organised by the Mirror Class Association (MCA) in conjunction with RWYC and the Royal Yacht Association (RYA). A total of thirteen boats entered, some travelling from as far away as Grimsby and Annandale to participate. The coaching team, Alex Beach and Adam McGovern travelled in from the Manchester area to coach the assembled throng.

The first part of the day centred on boat tuning and set up, which was just as well, as the wind had not arrived. Once conditions were suitable to set off from the jetties, the group split in to two and went their separate ways with a coach apiece. After lunch, the groups had a debrief covering the main issues of the morning session. They went back out on the water and completed a few 'mini races' to put into practice the skills they had been taught in the morning. All in all, the open coaching day was well worth while. Many of the younger students managed to learn some important lessons that they would use in earnest on the following day.

On Sunday 23rd, the RWYC held it's annual Mirror Open Meeting. Thirteen boats entered the race series, including more visitors from Staunton Harold SC in Derbyshire. The event was scheduled to have three races in the series, all being of the Olympic style 'triangle and sausage' variety. However, as with Saturday, the sun came out to play, but the wind was having a little holiday on an island somewhere far, far away.

The first race was postponed until about mid day, when the bright sunshine was joined by a nice steady breeze. The race started just off Millerground, heading north towards Ambleside. The first beat saw the visitors Simon Foskett and Craig Williamson (Staunton Harold SC) go into an early lead. They had a 40 second advantage over the second boat, which was crewed by the RWYC duo Emma Houlihan and Emily MacKenzie, as they turned at the windward mark. Foskett and Williamson tried to defend their lead, but had been overtaken by the end of the first triangle. Houlihan and MacKenzie maintained their position for the rest of the race, whilst Foskett and Williamson battled with Gavin Tullett and Henry Westropp (RWYC) and Inge-Lisa Hansen and Matthew Kiddle (Covenham SC) to take the next three places.

Race two saw a slightly fresher wind and more challenging conditions for the competitors to work in. Houlihan and MacKenzie took advantage of the port end of the start line at Calgarth and managed to get off to a cracking start, whilst most of the other boats all seemed to want to start from exactly the same place near the committee boat. The girls slotted into first place at the windward mark and were not really challenged from thereon in. The same story unfolded further back in the fleet, with Tullett/Westropp and Foskett/Williamson battling hard for second and third place.

Race three started off Troutbeck and headed off across the lake towards Belle Grange. The wind had strengthened considerably by this time. This added to the excitement with the lead group, but proved rather more difficult for some of the less experienced boat crews; several capsizes kept the rescue boats busy for a while and two boats retired. By now the trend in the lead group had been settled, the final places being the same as for race two.

By the end of the day, it was clear that Houlihan and MacKenzie were outright winners, having recorded three first places. Tullett and Westropp clinched second place with Foskett and Williamson coming in third. Fourth place went to Roger Haigh and Edward Gray, coming in fifth was Julian Haigh and Sam Gore. All in all, everyone had a thoroughly enjoyable weekend, the weather was perfect for sailing, the boats and crews performed to the best of their abilities. It was a weekend to be remembered for all the right reasons.