Event 3
Venue: Tamar Watersports, nr Bude
Date: 6 August 2006

Return of the Tigers

Towards the end of last year there was a lot of talk about what would happen at Upper Tamar Lake, home of the Tamar Tigers. There was work being done on the reservoir and it was rumoured that it would take a long time so there would be no sailing over the winter. Many of the windsurfers went to Roadford for their winter adrenaline fix. Club Coach Liz was transferred to Wimbleball Lake, part of the South west (north) zone, to develop the Wombles Team 15 club. At the first event of 2006 the only Tiger to show up was Will Pepworth. Event two saw the team swell to six but by event three, their home event, they were able to put a team of twelve on the water.

Ady and Geoff had arrived on Saturday evening and parked in the camping field overlooking the lake. The mist which greeted them on Sunday morning did not look good. By 9.30 the weather looked better and a breeze was coming in from the Northwest. Time to lay a course and start registration.

The marks were carefully layed to avoid the bank fishermen and the dinghy start line with the Gybe mark and finish line close to the shore for maximum photo opportunity and parental cheer-leadering. The wind was blowing across the long shoreline so the clubbers formed up with the 3.5m fleet at the windward end followed by 4.5, 5.5 and the 6.8 fleet furthest down wind.

In race one, at the first mark there was a log jam as the sailors who rounded first formed a wind shadow for those who followed. Of the 3.5 fleet, Matt Parkinson and Ross Bromhead found the best route round the mark while others struggled and some, out of sheer frustration, walked their boards round the mark. During the break between races, the 3.5 fleet were given a bit of advice on mark rounding, staying in clean wind, pointing, calling for water and rights of way. The lecture had the desired effect and the 3.5 fleet had no trouble after that. (Moving the mark a few metres may have helped too.)

During the break for lunch more coaching advise was given. I overheard these Top Tips from the Club Coaches: "sail on your toes to rail the board", "sink the tail to gybe tight", "sheet in and point high", "go away and let me eat my sandwiches in peace". All sound advice, ignore it at your peril.

Three more races after lunch, carefully timed to avoid the dinghy starts, and the improvement in the standard was clear to see. Starts were faster, mark rounding tighter and there was a lot less falling off. Outstanding performances by Charlie Winn, 1^st across the line in every race and Adam West, 5 bullets in the 6.8 Techno fleet. Closest finish was in the 4.5 fleet with only a point separating Nat Warren and Louis Morris. The 3.5 fleet was almost as close, Victoria Forrest-Mitchell was just two points behind Matt Parkinson.

At the prize presentation, Geoff thanked South West Lakes and the Tamar Sailing Club for their support and cooperation. The Club Coaches and parents received a round of applause for supporting the clubbers. Special thanks went to Siblyback Water Warriors sponsors, Tushingham Sails, Roseland Wave Riders sponsors, Bic Sport and Demon Sails, and all the other sponsors and supporters of team15.

Special awards went to Ellana Douglas-Saker, very new to windsurfing, for the improvement made on the day. Also to Catlin Quinn who overcame problems with her boom clamp, slippery board, to complete all her races and still keep smiling. Perhaps she will think twice before sailing in bib number 13 again. The winning team was Tamar Tiger who all thought this event was a roaring success.

Winning team
Tamar Tigers 

We are the Champions!
West Kirby Warriors
T15 Champions 2008

Congratulations!

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Team15
Coach Courses


T15 Coach-Red courses
will now be known as
Racing Instructor Courses
 T15 Coach-Freestyle courses
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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