Notice of Race - event 4
Surfstore, South Durham Windsurfing, Stockton
Sunday 4 September 2005 
 
“Ha Way the Cyclones!”

With the event at Surfstore attracting the highest number of entries in 2004 and attendance up generally over the first 3 events in 2005, hopes were high that the 40+ barrier could be broken for the final inter-club event.  With a figure of 38 competitors from 5 clubs it wasn’t to be, but never mind the quantity, just look at the quality!

	photo courtesy of Helen Bennett

In what has become their customary fashion the Cyclones from Covenham breezed in on Saturday afternoon, set up camp and were on the water acclimatising before you could utter a chorus of the Blaydon Races. Sunday brought the Crushers from Coquet, the Hurricanes from Halifax (Bic), the Invaders from North Lincs and of course the event hosts Surfstore Allstars (Neilson).

With a forecast for sun and wind, parents, friends and relatives were out in force and very soon the grassy bank above the lake was awash with blankets, chairs and picnic baskets as the spectators adjusted position to get the best view. The prevailing wind direction at Surfstore is normally south west, however the “wind awareness” of competitors was to be thoroughly tested during the day as the wind switched direction almost at will and usually just before the start of a race.

With everyone registered, racing was underway by 11.30am. A cross-wind course was set for the 3.5m fleet, a down-wind slalom course for the 4.5m, while the 5.5m & 6.6m classes sailing as one fleet had a slightly more demanding “M” course.

With the combined 5.5m &6.6m fleet taking to the water first, the start line as the minutes ticked down resembled the M25 on a busy day as the 12 sailors jostled for position, with not all finding board control to be their particular strong point.  Several Covenham sailors had moved up a class since the last event and were keen to show they were there on merit.  In the 6.6m class Jack Tait (Surfstore Allstars) got a good start as did Matt Stevens (North Lincs Invaders) and it was these two who made the early running closely pursued by Connor Bainbridge (Halifax Hurricanes) resplendid in his newly acquired silver-grey Bic race vest.  David Smith, making his first appearance in the 6.6m fleet, kept in touch with the leading group finishing 4^th behind Jack, Matt and Connor. In the 5.5m class, Daniel Hufton (Covenham Cyclones) had similarly moved up a class since the last event but sailed as if he was a fleet regular, finishing 1^st ahead of team-mate Simon Thompson and Josh Brown-Bolton (Surfstore Allstars).

In race 2, a wayward windward leg saw Jack Tait (Surfstore Allstars) unable to repeat his earlier race winning performance finishing 4^th behind David Smith (Covenham Cyclones) in 3^rd, Connor Bainbridge (Halifax Hurricanes) in 2^nd and Matt Stevens (North Lincs Invaders) in 1^st.  The Allstars from Surfstore got their act together in the 5.5m class with Josh Brown-Bolton taking 1^st ahead of team-mate Max Anderson in 2^nd and Simon Thompson (Covenham Cyclones) in 3^rd.

The first race in the 4.5m class saw Jessica Cooke (North Lincs Invaders) doing what she does best – taking an early lead and keeping it, this despite intense pressure from Tom Dickinson (Covenham Cyclones) who finished 2^nd.  The gybe marks were certainly taking their toll but were also providing the spectators on-shore with plenty of action as the last mark was rounded and competitors made for the finish line. Jack Maw (Covenham Cyclones) took 3^rd behind Jessica and Tom.  The second race saw Jessica take another 1^st ahead of Chloe Bennett (Halifax Hurricanes) in second and Greg Baldock (Covenham Cyclones) in 3^rd.

	photo courtesy of Helen Bennett

Race one in the 3.5m fleet saw 15 boards taking to the water and it was Joe Bennett (Halifax Hurricanes) who made his experience count taking 1^st place ahead of another Joe - Joe Dickinson (Covenham Cyclones) in second.  Oliver Clegg (North Lincs Invaders) took 3^rd ahead of Mathew Earp (Surfstore Allstars) in 4^th.  An uncharacteristic slip-up by Joe Bennett in race 2 saw Mathew Earp (Surfstore Allstars) take advantage to finish 1^st ahead of fellow Allstar Alex in 2^nd and Joe Dickinson (Covenham Cyclones) in 3^rd.

A further 3 races were completed after lunch as the day got hotter and the winds more fickle.  In the 6.6m class Jack Tait (Surfstore Allstars) took another two firsts with Connor Bainbridge (Halifax Hurricanes) crossing the finishing line 1^st in the final race of the day.  Matt Stevens (North Lincs Invaders) put the disappointment of a 5^th place in race 3 behind him to take a 3^rd and 2^nd in the remaining 2 races, while David Smith (Covenham Cyclones) maintained his solid start-to-life in the 6.6m class taking another two third places.  With only 1 point separating the first 3 sailors Jack took 1^st place overall ahead of Connor and Matt.

In the 5.5m fleet Max Anderson (Surfstore Allstars) took a 2^nd and 1^st but with the winners podium in sight, completely misjudged the change in wind direction in the final race to slip to a 5^th place and 3^rd overall.  Daniel Hufton (Covenham Cyclones), fresh from winning the 4.5m class at the last event, went one better to take 1^st overall ahead of fellow Cyclone Simon Thompson in 2^nd. Despite efforts to gain extra points by demonstrating his free-style ability as he crossed the finishing line, Andrew Thompson eventually finished 4^th overall.

After setting the early pace in the 4.5m class, Jessica Cooke (North Lincs Invaders) sa a change in fortune in the afternoon session as Tom Dickinson (Covenham Cyclones) took two 1sts and rookie Joe Moore (Covenham Cyclones) the other.  Chloe Bennett (Halifax Hurricanes) took another two seconds to secure 3^rd place overall.  With both Jessica and Tom level on 10 points each, Jessica took 1^st overall by virtue of a lower discard score – phew, that was close!

photo courtesy of Helen Bennett

Matters were much more clear cut in the 3.5m class as Joe Bennett (Halifax Hurricanes) took another two 1sts to win the class, but discard scores were called into play once again to separate Oliver Clegg (North Lincs Invaders) from Mathew Earp (Surfstore Allstars) who finished 2^nd and 3^rd respectively.

With the wind dying but the sun still shining kit was dismantled, photographs taken and final scores calculated in readiness for the prize-giving and the announcement of the 2005 North Zone Series Winners.  Although close, Covenham Cyclones took their third Winners Trophy ahead of Surfstore Allstars and in so doing could not be overtaken in the overall series placings.  So in their first season of competing at inter-club events the Cyclones had proved to be the most consistent team and on behalf of all the other clubs in the North Zone we hope this consistency is demonstrated in their performance at Rutland in October.

Congratulations to Covenham and their coaches and to competitors from all of the clubs who have competed in this year’s series; a big thank you also to the parents who have given of their free time to get members to events, whilst not forgetting our T15 sponsors, who have made it all possible.

Finally a big thank you to Surfstore Coach John McAfee for hosting the event and race managing the 3.5m & 4.5m fleets.

For further details contact
David Dobson
mailtdavid.dobson@tvf-online.co.uk
 

We are the Champions!
West Kirby Warriors
T15 Champions 2008

Congratulations!

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