Queen Mary is crowned

The grand finale, the final chapter, the last stand, the home straight, the final furlong, call it what you want but this was it! The thrilling climax to the end of a long and highly competitive team15 South Zone Inter-Club Series. Each event so far has seen action and drama, with no shows, surprise wins, wandering marks and some good wind! And after three events the teams couldn’t be closer as far as points and positions in the championship were concerned. With Queen Mary holding a narrow lead over Poole, Calshot and Farmoor.

The final event has for the last three years been run as part of the Animal Windfest Event, which brings an array of professional and semi-professional windsurfers and kitesurfers, as well as trade stands (with lots of free stickers and posters) and the Animal bike display team. But the main event, of which there is no doubt, and what most of the spectators flock to see is team15! The spectators come in their ten’s to watch the shining example of windsurfing competition that is team15 and the superstars which grace this silver stage. Hmmm…..

Saturday dawned with sun and a slight northerly wind blowing across the lagoon towards our base camp on the sandbanks roadside. An early start was important to ensure that all the teams had parking and were able to register, rig and launch in the allocated sailing area. After a few minor details were ironed out (lack of boat and anchors!!) briefing was arranged and the day’s plan of action was revealed. Local sea-dog Mr Phil Merrison provided a trustworthy forecast of both wind and tide conditions, apparently his limp seaweed has never let him down yet. With this information a course was set close to the launch area and in front of the gathered masses from which shouts of encouragement and instruction could be easily heard!! Poole is always a tricky venue due to the nature of the shallow water, and though no walking round the course was permitted I think this was the first event where all sailors managed to line up perfectly on the start line, in fact this is the only event where every sailor “tried” to water start on the start line! With only a minute to go before the start chaos was beginning to erupt and a few start line adjustments were made to give a little more space to the straining fleet. The flags dropped and the battle began; “port, left, right, stuck, move, can’t, won’t, ouch, watch out, coming through” - all of these shouts could be heard coming from the fevered throng of team15 racers trying to get ahead in the quest for team15 glory and those plastic trophies! So off and away the racers went, smiles all round and a sigh of relief from the committee boat, and all was going well until the wind shifted though nearly ninety degrees; all of sudden beats had become reaches and the 3.5m class was stuck and heading off towards the ferry channel armed with their newly discovered rule of wind having priority over motor!!! It all ended well though and another race was held before we broke for lunch.

After lunch another quick briefing was arranged and back afloat we went in an attempt to make the most of what tide was left and get at least two more races in before the curtain could be brought down on the team15 05 season. The races went to plan once the course had been re-laid a few times!! And it was only the last race when the tide was really racing out that depth became a real problem, and as sailors piled towards the finish line and a committee boat that was now sitting on the bottom, a number of competitors found themselves coming to a premature stop.  With the tide gone and 4 races in the bag a decision was made to end racing, compile the results and prepare for prize giving…

Prize giving was to be held over the other side of the Sandbanks Spit and on the stage in the Animal arena. One of the Animal team pro-riders was on hand to give out the prizes and certificates to the lucky winners, in front of the assembled crowd. Each podium was greeted with well deserved cheers and applause. The final event results are elsewhere on the web site so click on the link!

The event winners were Queen Mary just piping the home team of Poole Piranhas who finished a very close second place. Farmoor came in third with Calshot, last years champions, finishing in fourth.

And the overall series winners…Queen Mary. Having struggled with a lack of numbers at Calshot, winning the other three events gave them an unassailable points win. Poole finished second with a series of consistent results but never quite managing an event win, being thwarted on home waters by Queen Mary who took the event win and with it the series title. Calshot finished third with a no show at Queen Mary’s event in August effectively ending the defence of the title they’ve held for the last three years. Farmoor’s strength in numbers helped them all season, but failure to consistently hold onto any podium places was a weakness that haunted them all season and left them finishing in fourth place.

So that’s it for yet another year, the zone has grown over the last 4 years to become one of the most successful and well attended in the whole of the UK with consistently good turnouts at all inter-club events. From a training session in Poole with 4 sailors four years ago we are now hosting 20 plus sailors at all events and growing year on year.  Familiar faces continue to appear along with new and fresh talent also keen to get involved in competitive windsurfing. In 2012 the Olympics will be held in Weymouth, wouldn’t it be good if our representatives came form the South Zone?? Anything’s possible and with the continued effort and enthusiasm being made by the area coaches Phil, Mike, Simon (and friends!) and the Big T, and most importantly by the Sailors, whose to say that we won’t see South Zone representation in 2012!!!!

So 2006. Well, Queen Mary looks like a formidable package now, consistent podium places and a now a sizeable squad too. Calshot will not take lightly to having their crown removed and will be sure to ensure that it’s a brief loan period that Queen Mary enjoy, with huge resources upon which to draw and the new club status you bet they’ll be back next year stronger, bigger and better - we’ve been warned. Poole, Phil’s commitment and enthusiasm has been truly inspirational, a club which at the start of the season had no home, no facilities or equipment has, under Phil’s determination, survived and thrived to take second place in the series only just losing out on the overall title - amazing form. Finishing second this year will be sure to galvanize the now hardened and experienced campaigners and spur them on to the title next year; I’d hope to see plenty of practice from some of their main sailors though as next season its time for them to step up to bat a little more and take on the responsibility of bringing the team on and achieving success. Finally Farmoor. The big pond in Oxford! Mike has worked tirelessly over the last 4 years, coaching and running the team 15 club, as well as piling on the mileage taking the team to every single event that’s been run over the years. I know that Mike is looking to step back a little and let someone else try and develop the team further; I for one hope that Mike re- considers this as he’s been great for Farmoor and great for the South Zone in general. If Mike does step down it’ll be a loss for us all and for the sport of windsurfing. However, there is no doubting that team15 is demanding on time and patience and Mike’s wishes will always be respected. As a friend and a colleague I wish him well. Besides with the team maturing, promising talent emerging, and podium places within reach there is every chance that Farmoor could be one of the big players next year.

As for myself, all being well and with everyone else’s blessing I’ll be back. Next year I hope to run some training days and a one off freestyle event, along with our inter-club events. We’re hoping to get the South Zone Squad up and running and increase our participation at the Youth and Masters National Championships so 2006 should be a busy and enjoyable season. Once again, thanks to everyone this year who’s given everything to make our zone succeed, the parents, the coaches, the sponsors and of course…the sailors!!! See you all next year! In the meantime any sailors who’d like to do a report on how they got on this year in the team15 scene can write it out and email at the address on this website and we’ll look to getting it posted elsewhere on this site. Thanks.

Chris Lewis
GBR366

We are the Champions!
West Kirby Warriors
T15 Champions 2008

Congratulations!

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T15 Coach-Red courses
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For information
(previous courses in 2008)

Mount Batten Centre - Plymouth
Course type: Racing Instructor
Weekend course: 27/28 September 2008
Closing date: 5 September
Cancelled: lack of candidates

Lakes Leisure - Windermere
Course type: Racing Instructor
Weekend course: 30/31 August 2008
Closing date: 15 August
Fully booked

James Hamilton Heritage Park - Glasgow
Course type: Racing Instructor
Weekend course: 30/31 August 2008
Closing date: 15 August
Cancelled: lack of candidates

Gwent Adventures - Wales
Course type: Racing Instructor
Weekend course: 9/10 August 2008
Closing date: 25 July
5 candidates on course


Grafham Water Centre - Cambridgeshire
Course type: Racing Instructor
Weekend course: 5/6 July 2008
Closing date: 30 June
Spaces available
6 candidates on course

Wimbleball Lake - Somerset
Course type: Racing Instructor
Midweek course: 3/4 July 2008
Closing date: 30 June
4 candidates on course


Roadford Lake - Okehampton
Course type: Racing Instructor
Midweek Course: 4/5 June 2008
Organised by South West Lakes Trust
Fully booked


Carsington Watersports - Derbyshire
Course type: Freestyle
Weekend Course: 3/4 May 2008
Fully booked


Carsington Watersports - Derbyshire
Course type: Racing Instructor
Midweek Course: 1/2 May 2008
6 candidates on course


Mountbatten Centre - Plymouth
Course type: Racing Instructor
Weekend Course: 12/13 April 2008
Cancelled: lack of candidates

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