POOLE Yacht Club very nearly had a run of three firsts in the Gold, Silver and Bronze fleets of the GP14 National Championships last week.
Local boys Matt Burge and Simon Wheeler were left crying in their beer when a miscounting of the number of laps in the last race lost them the title.
Laying second they had only to cross the line to take it, but continued, by mistake, on another lap to finish the race in 21st, ending the week in seventh spot overall.
There were better fortunes for other Poole sailors, though, with Andy and Alison Macgregor finishing the event on top of the Silver Fleet podium, while club- mates Andy Welch and Taras Palamarcuk headed the Bronze Fleet table.
The Gold Fleet prize was handed to Graham Nelson and Mike Senior of Blackpool and Fleetwood YC, who had left it to the very last race to snatch the title in a very tightly-fought championships.
When organisers saw the forecast for the week they prayed for sunny weather, as only a good sea breeze would give a chance of a steady wind direction.
Sure enough, Sunday, August 14 dawned with an offshore northerly, but bright and sunny.
The afternoon saw only one scheduled race take place as the wind faded to nothing and Race Officer Laurie Thornton-Grimes sent the fleet ashore.
Monday, August 15 saw a NW breeze give hope of a better combination of gradient wind and sea breeze, but it was not to be and after a long, hot wait in scorching heat, the much-needed sea breeze appeared from the SW and two good races were sailed in a cracking force 3/4.
All the usual suspects were at the front along with a couple of interlopers often seen in 420s in the shape of Ian Dobson and Matt Burge.
Frustratingly, as the start sequence on Tuesday, August 16 was about to run, a massive shift signalled that the fight for supremacy, between the gradient wind and the sea breeze, had begun.
In hope of fitting in the race lost on Sunday the fleet was kept afloat, but the breeze had other ideas and it was around 14.30 before the first gun was fired.
Two good races again followed and the front of the fleet was beginning to take on a decidedly young look as Nelson, Dobson, Matt Mee and Burge all started to post good results.
Wednesday, August 17 saw the last chance to get all qualifying races complete but was defeated by the now customary late arrival of the sea breeze.
Two races were again run successfully, but it was around 18.15 before the last boat returned to shore where the free tea and cakes rounded off the day as usual.
On Thursday, August 18 the much anticipated fleet allocations were posted which brought delight and gloom in equal measure as it became known who had made it where.
Twelve-year-old Philip Sparks of Mudeford Sailing Club and Royal Lymington took the title of Senior National Champion with a 48-point lead at this year's British Optimist Nationals held in Pwllheli.
Philip, who is a student at Highcliffe School said: "In the future I hope to go to the 2012 Olympics and represent Great Britain in a 470, 49er or a Laser - if I grow!"
By far the largest single sailing event in the area this year is under way at Parkstone Yacht Club this week.
Poole Week has attracted 178 entrants from far and wide.
Full round-up in At The Helm next week.
Around the clubs
Poole Yacht Racing Association Race 25 'Normtec' Poole to Yarmouth: Class 1. (Minoru Cup) Virago (Victor Budden). Class 2. (Margaret Sewell Cup) Tigerlily (Gerry Baxter). Class A. (Harold Austin Cup) Mistress (Chris Blackburn). Race 27 'Normtec' Yarmouth to Poole: Class 1. (Contessa trophy) Esprit (Neil Vardy) Class 2. (Seafarer CH. Trophy) Athene (Nick Treble) Class A. (Sula Tankard) Mistress.
Mudeford Sailing Club
Longman Trophy: Two great days' sailing. The look on Josh Sparks's face when he realised he had beaten brother Phil made it all worthwhile! Race 3: 1 Mike Roach 2 Rob Moore 3 Phil Sparks. Race 4: 1 Josh Sparks 2 Phil Sparks 3 Mike Roach. Overall: 1 Mike Roach 2 Josh Sparks 3 Phil Sparks.
Poole Yacht Club
GP14 - Thursday Series: Owing to a last minute drastic windshift, the fleet of 17 GPs set off for a downwind start. Marrow, Big Floater and Moby chose the hut end of the line and were first boats to reach the first mark. Floater took the lead from Marrow and stayed there to the finish leaving Marrow second and Moby third. Martin and Alison tried hard but finished 13th while Hannah Thompson in her first race finished 15th. 1 Big Floater (Matt and Andy Burge) 2 Marrow (Mike Arrow/Ian AItken) 3 Moby (Andy Welch/Taras Palamarcuk).
Parkstone Yacht Club
Wayfarers - Sat August 20 was the RNLI Pennant race, battled out in a WNW force 3 with huge holes in it. Watery Moments and Devon Pickle had a battle together all the way through the race. After a great afternoon's racing, Devon Pickle, Bruce Gridley crewed by Terry Barret, managed to take the lead on the final leg and take 1st place leaving Watery Moments (Colin May crewed by Sarah) in 2nd Place and Shooting Stars 3rd.
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