On Saturday 1st July , boats , cars laden with camping gear arrived early in the morning at Bough Beech Sailing Club for the 2017 sailing, training and camping weekend.
There was a 4 race series on Saturday with 23 boats on the water. We had the KSSA Superstars , the soon- to -be superstars and the novices who will one day be our top KSSA sailors!
The aim was to have plenty of lake practice before the Nationals at Grafham. The conditions were ideal for this, with variable, shifty winds all day!! Boats racing along at one end of the lake and other boats nearly becalmed at the other. The Race Officer Jon Hill did a great job in frequently changing wind directions. The results show how close the racing was in the laser radial fleet and the Toppers. Coaches Dannie and Elliott Marks encouraged the tail Enders. Stan Chick was the overall winner!
Camping was in a huge field of freshly cut grass and right next to the Clubhouse.Insect spray was essential. Everyone slept really well but many missed the incredibly noisy dawn chorus from the flock of waterfowl at the foot of the field on the lakeside.
Sunday was an early start, with breakfast in the clubhouse.
Andy Kerr was the lead coach for the day, and based his coaching skills on what the sailors had requested from the debrief session after the Saturday racing. The focus was on wind shifts, making a good line for the next buoy and concentrating for long periods!!! 4 more boats joined in the coaching.
Ollie Cage White and Elliott Marks each ran a coaching group of boats on the water, whilst Steve Mitchell and Brian Munford coached the youngest sailors. Everyone made really good progress. ……..lots more shifty wind, both in strength and direction.
After Pasta Bolognaise in the clubhouse, we then held the Allcomers Race for the Littlefield Memorial trophy. BB Club boats also joined in so it was a large and fast moving fleet at times, but with more shifting winds it really tested everyone!
Pierce Seward was first KSSA boat, and Stan Chick 2 nd. Heather Denbigh 3 rd.
we finished in brilliant sunshine. Money raised for the Air Ambulance was by donations put into the collecting box in the Clubhouse.
The Bough Beech members were good hosts. The catering by Tracey and Mark was extremely well organised and the quality of the food was high. Jon Hill, Guy Marks and Deb marks did a great job throughout the weekend.
Thankyou Tim and Tim for being Beachmasters so effectively. Thankyou the Broadstairs gang…Tim S for organising the KSSA a side of patrol boats on the water, Sam Chick, Dale Windridge and Paul Hirst for the many hours you all helped on and off the water.Thankyou Sarah White for the very slick registration and Deb Thomas for organising the Allcomers race and the final priZegiving Well done to all the parents for the little things you did to help make this a very positive weekend and a great
