Lightning368 Sea Championships at Weston Sailing Club

Maybe it was the winter like conditions or maybe the threat of Hurricane Bertha but only 11 Lightnings arrived at sunny Southampton water for the 2014 Sea Championships weekend at Weston SC.

Saturday dawned windy, but not unmanageable and it looked like it was going to be a fun first day on the water. Maybe the only sailing we would have if Bertha arrived on time!

Starting as part of the 15 boat Weston Open 'Slow Handicap Fleet', the Lightning's soon showed their dominance over the other classes. Simon Hopkins decided hard right was the way to go to stay out of the tide and rounded ahead of Robbie Claridge, Clive Evans and Alexander Baxter. Alex ruing selling his boat to Clive the week before and sailing LN 49 kindly loaned by Mark Goddon. Simon held Robbie off until the 3rd leg when he proceeded to give a master class in downwind sailing to pull out an unassailable lead by the start of the second beat. Simon and Clive rounded together, with a massive wind shift making it a one leg to the windward mark, it was then a 'who was fitter hiking' and honours went to the younger legs of Clive to get ahead of Simon.

Move of the race, though, went to Chris Abela who had been tracking the battle for 4th and 5th between Alex and Matt Hopkins. Leaving them to fight it out he pinched 4th place from both of them.

Race 2 back to back and there was already a bit more wind. Matt decided he wasn't as well as he thought following a bout of Bronchitis (and a swim on the final run) so went for a rest. The fleet lined up with a very biased line and in the crowd by the pin Alex infringed and had to do turns whilst Simon popped out of the bunch for clear wind and a healthy lead. Star award of the race was to Alex for heading out into the tide and finding the wind bend to be back in contention by the windward mark. What followed was pretty much a repeat of Race 1, Robbie waited till the run to sail past and leave everyone behind. This time the battle for second between Simon and Clive went to the older man with Alex keeping a keen eye on Chris behind him.

Race 3 and a rested Matt joined the event and it obviously paid dividends as he won the pin and headed out into the tides to get the wind bend and lead at the first mark from Robbie, Hugh Spencer and Clive. Mayhem then ensued behind with a Solo stuck in irons at the windward mark and a very interested port/starboard incident between Simon and Paul Beven that must be seen on You Tube!

Saturday night was entertaining as always with way too much beer and curry consumed, perhaps with expectation of no sailing on Sunday!

Perhaps gratefully for some, Sunday arrived like the end of the world with horizontal rain, average 25mph wind and gusts well above 35mph! Racing was predictably abandoned and everyone looked forward to the early trip home.

With 3 straight wins Robbie Claridge took the Sea Championships from 'old man' Simon Hopkins in second on count back from Clive Evans making an impressive début in his Lightning.

Next stop is the Nationals at Northampton Sailing Club on 6th-7th September. With all the new faces in the fleet this year this could be anyone's to win.