Event 4
Venue: Chase Sailing Club, Walsall
Date: 21 July 2007

Carsington Comets Crowned Midlands Champions

Saturday 21st July heralded event four from the Midlands region Team 15 windsurfing championships. This was the regional race of 2007, and would decide which team from the area was to be the series winner. The day was very cloudy and generally miserable, but 24 of the area’s best junior windsurfers turned up at Chase Water near Cannock to compete in the event. Five teams were represented with a first of the year for the Chase Aces, the home team, who had six members.

Shifty conditions test the teams

After a briefing in the clubhouse all competitors went afloat for the first of the day’s races. The layout of the courses was the same as for the last 3 events – the 3.5m class going around an across wind buoy and all other fleets doing a box course. (Obviously the big guns in the 6.8m class were doing 2 laps!) The wind conditions were extremely difficult, very light winds which constantly changed direction. This meant that after a very close start the fleets were very spread out around the race courses.

Alice Butts (Rutland Rockets) enjoyed the absence of her team mate Robert and took victory in the 3.5m class, whilst Emily Hall (Notts County Outlaws) took victory in the 4.5m class in just her second event in this class. Jade Rogers (Carsington Comets) took her usual victory in the 5.5m class whilst, after the long slog of two laps. Riley Harber (Pitsford Pirates) claimed 1st place in the 6.8m Techno. With the wind being as shifty as it was there were almost 25 minutes between the first person across the line and the final sailor.

Slow going

After such a long and difficult race the course was immediately adjusted and a second start procedure was begun. This race was a lot shorter but still the wind was getting lighter and more difficult especially for the 3.5m class who were now struggling to catch enough wind to move!

Alice, Emily and Jade all managed to claim another first place but Jake Patrick (Pitsford Pirates) managed to steal victory from his team mate in the 6.8m Techno class. At this point it was decided that all fleets were going to race to the across wind buoy then head in for lunch. Even this simple course took nearly half an hour for all sailors to complete, with the by now almost none existent wind. A paddle back to shore ensured all competitors were hungry enough for lunch!

Freestyle fun

Over lunch the wind died completely and made it impossible to complete further races around the course. All sailors were sent out and took place in 4 rounds of freestyle competition which was scored from the committee boat. Some excellent moves were displayed from all teams especially Pitsford who, working as a team, managed to get all 4 of their team together for one move! Dale Burgess (Carsington Comets) was in his element showing all of his usual ‘finish line tricks’, but the merit award went to James Anstey (Chase Aces) as the day’s freestyle guru.

One final race was the paddle around the buoy and back to shore as the markers were collected, a standing finish to surf over the line was compulsory.

Final scores

At the end of the day the scores were tallied and the prize giving took place out of the rain in the clubhouse. It was great to see that the girls have claimed victory in 3 out of the 4 fleets racing that day. Just the 6.8m class to conquer?! Carsington Comets managed to claim the team prize.

Team scores for the day as follows:

1 Carsington Comets (15 points)
2 Pitsford Pirates (33 points)
2 Chase Aces (33 points)
4 Notts County Outlaws (48 points)
5 Rutland Rockets (56 points )

A big well done to the Chase Aces at their first event claiming a joint second place. As the last race of the season the final team positions were tallied as follows:

1 Carsington Comets (4 points )
2 Pitsford Pirates (10 points)
3 Notts County (13 points)
4 Rutland Rockets (14 points)
5 Chase Aces (18 points)
6 Bosworth Bullets (21 points)

For full results see results page.

This means that the Carsington Comets are the Midlands area series winners for 2007 so very well done. They will go onto the Champions Cup at Rutland in October and the sailors from the Midlands wish them all the best in that competition.

So….that concludes the Midlands T15 racing for 2007! However, there will be no resting. As well as the Champions Cup, there is the Youth and Masters at Weymouth, Zone Selection, Midlands UKWA events plus weekly training sessions, so all sailors should still be working hard! Thanks to Chasewater Sailing club for hosting the event and to Jeff, Marie and Tony for their help with scoring and pictures.

A big thank you to all competitors and parents for taking part in the racing this season, as well as to the Midlands UKWA for supporting the events with safety cover and production of initial results on the day. I hope you have enjoyed the racing this season and look forward to more Team 15 racing next year, See you there! Ben.H. Team 15 CO (Midlands)

Team winners and Midlands Zone Winners
Carsington Comets

Report written by Ben Hodgson
T15 CO - Midlands Zone

We are the Champions!
West Kirby Warriors
T15 Champions 2008

Congratulations!

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T15 Coach-Red courses
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will change to T15 Freestyle Coach!  

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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