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Event 1
Venue: James Hamilton Heritage Park, East Kilbride
Date: Sunday 11 June 2006
Barracudas fight off Maniacs and Eagles
The field of 22 T15 windsurfers were split into 2 fleets. The 3.5m, 4.5m and 5.5m sail classes raced a cross-wind course and the 6.8m Techno sailors raced a triangular course.
With several novice racers in the field and other sailors a little rusty since last year, the start of the first race got off to a bit of loose start. A drifting fleet of kayaks added a few unplanned diversions to the course and the judges turned a bit of a blind eye to direction when the 5.5m fleet rounded the mark.
With the first race under their belt, both fleets had the feel of the course and some serious tactical manoeuvring ensued to get the best line for a flying start. From there on in we had some great competitive racing, despite the park’s safety boat speeding in front of the start line and send a bow wave into the fleet at the start of the second race.
Clyde Barracuda novice Shane Cracknell put in an amazing performance to win the 3.5m Class. Shane had only been sailing for 1 week and took no less than 4 first places.
The 4.5m class produced one of the closest fought finishes of the day with Eagle, Mairead Grant, chased right to the line by Maniac, Laura Sugden, Barracudas Katie Beattie, Ross Kenmuir and Hannah Burns in a photo finish for 2nd place. Being chased by 3 Barracudas and a Maniac does wonders for your turn of speed. Katie took the class honours with Mairead a very close second.
The 5.5m class was all about the Maniacs. Russell Turner and Betty Buckman had a ding dong battle all day, with Betty just winning out and Eagle, Mhairi MacDonald, in 3rd.
Barracuda Jordan O’Hara was spectacular in the 6.8 Techno class. After a first race win his confidence was shaken by a 2 in a row win by team mate Amy Kenmuir. After rounding the last mark, the third race looked like another win for Amy, and then Jordan pumped his board onto the plane, took a broad-reach line, heading straight for the shore, shortening the distance to the finish line and stealing a victory. He cut it so fine that spectators on the beach actually moved out of the way in case he didn’t stop! Back on form, he won the remaining races in the class with Amy in 2nd place and Barracuda, Stephanie Stewart, in 3rd.
With the serious business out of the way Monikie finished the day off winning the 2 to a board fun race and collecting the box of jaffa cakes generously donated by Robin Nicol.
Many thanks to Eagles’ coach Alan Jackson, Race Officer Ian Jackson, Andy Kerr on results, Robin Nicol (T15 CO) and to all the other supporters and participants who made the day possible.
Overall though it was the Barracudas who walked off with the team trophy for event 1 of the T15 inter-club series, so congratulations to the team and the coaches. The big question is, will they maintain this winning form when on home waters or will the Maniacs or Eagles fight back at the next event on 1 July? With new T15 clubs joining the ranks in 2006, maybe we will see some additional teams joining the fun and who knows, maybe one of these will be champions on the day?
Team winners
Clyde Barracudas (Bic)
Event report
Written by Mike Beattie on behalf of Robin Nicol (T15 CO - Scotland)
We are the Champions!
West Kirby Warriors
T15 Champions 2008
Congratulations!
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Contact
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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!
Check below for course dates.
Have you registered yet?
Click here for pre-requisites.
Courses are currenlty being
organised by RDOs.
More dates soon.
If your T15 club
can get together 4 instructors
we can run a
course at your club!
Contact:
gina.lindholm@rya.org.uk
(scroll down for other courses you have missed)
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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ADOPT-A-BEACH
The Green Blue is an environmental awareness initiative by the British Marine Federation and the Royal Yachting Association. One of its aims is to educate and promote the sustainable use of coastal and inland waters by watersports participants.
Some of the initiatives have a relevance to windsurfers - especially in achieving cleaner seas and beaches.
Adopt-a-Beach is definitely relevant to T15ers, which is a Marine Conservation Society project supported by the Green Blue.
Check out what parts of the Green Blue are relevant to you