Please select your home edition
Edition
Savvy Navvy 2024

Comet Duo Championship at Cransley Sailing Club

by Nigel Austin 1 Jul 2018 20:23 UTC 30 June 2018
Comet Duo Championship at Cransley © Cransley SC

"Wow that was great fun!" just one of the comments from a competitor after the above competition had finished. 25 sailors in 13 boats took part in the 3rd Championships at Cransley – the best turnout for over 20 years and on a sunny and breezy (averaging Force 3-4 gusting 5) day – ideal conditions for Duo sailing, perfect!

With only around 175 Duos, it is testament to Andy Simmons build that these dinghies just last for ever, in fact the only failure in these testing conditions occurred in the first race with Duo 103 using a dodgy brass shackle to hold the jib up (which it didn't!). Despite that Nigel and Matilda managed to hold on to just win from Peter in Duo 99, who was very courageously and brilliantly sailing with 2 cracked ribs and single handedly. 3rd place was taken by Charlie and Emily (Duo 165), two young Cransley sailors who in their first competitive sail in the Duo were very impressive. The top 5 were filled with 2 other Cransley-ites, with Rhiain and Ollie (Duo 4) and Jane and John (73), followed by our "international" visitors from Hawley Lake, Stephen (Duo 150) crewed by Cransley Tom, and then Nigel and Anne (Duo 93) from Olton Mere.

The remaining Duos were all from Cransley and despite a little bit of swimming from one all were steadfast in their resolve to finish. Unfortunately we missed John who had a vet emergency.

None of this back to back racing at these Championships! A sumptuous leisurely lunch followed and Darrell sneakily replaced his crew Astara with Cerella for the second race, thinking as they are identical twins folks wouldn't notice.

Race 2 saw the wind pick up a notch, and with Peter having a swim early on, Nigel and Matilda pulled away from Rhiain and Ollie and Charlie and Emily. Jane and John improved a place but the rest of the places were similar although Mark and Gillian sailed very nicely to improve considerably. There was one David Bellamy moment with Caroline going deep into the reeds after carelessly losing her helm Sophie.

Afternoon tea and tiffin was then taken (that bastion of English civilisation) before Race 3 – and 2nd place was up for grabs between 3 boats (Duos 99, 165 and 4). Nigel and Matilda rather antisocially sailed off into the sunset again but the 2nd place went to Rhiain and Ollie by 1 second from Peter.

Despite 4 of the boats understandably not setting off for Race 3, all the competitors hung around for the shambolic Prize giving where yours truly got all the prizes wrong but after frantic swapping of medals, every agreed it had been a wonderful days sailing – and it was fun, not a collision or protest in sight.

We had a lovely mixture of young sailors (Charlie, Emily, Ollie, Tom, Matilda, Astara and Cerella) and relative newbies (Mark, Gillian, Jason, Gretta, Daryll, Sophie and Caroline) together with some sailing stalwarts (Peter, Jane, John T, Stephen, Nigel x 2, Anne, John L, Alan, Julie, Rhiain and Bob).

Well done you were all winners!

Thanks to Mike and Sarah (RO and ARO), Paul and David (Safety), Helen and Alice (Galley) and Helen (results). Roll on 2019 – come on the rest of you 162 Duos put a note in you diary for next year to take part, you only live once!

Overall Results:

PosSail NoHelmCrewClubR1R2R3Pts
1103Nigel AustinMatilda GuyettCransley SC-1112
24Rhiain BevanOllie DaleCransley SC-4235
399Peter Stein Cransley SC2-546
4165Charlie GuyettEmily BrittonCransley SC33-56
573Jane TownsendJohn TownsendCransley SC54(DNS)9
6150Stephen LintonTom ChapmanHawley Lake SC66-712
793Nigel FordAnne FordOlton Mere SC77-814
8157Sophie GuyettCaroline DaleCransley SC9-11615
990John LinnellAlan KeechCransley SC(DNS)DNS216
1018Julie AvesBob AvesCransley SC88-916
1119Jason DaviesGretta DaviesCransley SC1010(DNS)20
12141Mark BaverstockGillian BaverstockCransley SC129(DNS)21
1320Darrell HutchingsC & E DaviesCransley SC1112(DNS)23

Related Articles

Comet Duo 'Worlds' and Nationals at Cransley
Everyone always gets a medal, and other memorabilia for the slightly quicker ones The 8th Comet Duo 'Worlds' and National Championships was held at Cransley Sailing Club on 3rd August 2024. Posted on 5 Aug
Comet Duo 'Worlds' and Nationals at Cransley
The original aim of the event in 2016 was to get young sailors to helm or crew The 7th Comet Duo Worlds and National Championships, held at Cransley Sailing Club, were once again a blustery affair due to Storm Betty. Force 4-5 winds were forecast and didn't disappoint for the first two races, slightly reducing for the last one. Posted on 21 Aug 2023
Comet Duo 2022 'Worlds' at Cransley
Tempestuous squally winds with some wicked wind changes Since 2016, Cransley Sailing Club has hosted their own Worlds, incorporating the National Championship, for the Comet Duos. On Sunday 26th June we saw the latest event take place in tempestuous squally winds (Force 4-5), with some wicked wind changes. Posted on 29 Jun 2022
Noble Marine Combined Comet Class Inlands preview
What a way to kick start the new sailing season Join us in the beautiful Llangorse for two days of great sailing, fabulous company with some laughs along the way. The Combined Comet Class Noble Inland Championship will be hosted by Llangorse SC. The event welcomes the Trio, Versa, Duo and Zero classes. Posted on 11 Mar 2022
Comet Duo Championship at Cransley
The feeling of a universal event On Saturday 17th July 2021, we welcomed 12 Comet Duos to the latest Cransley 'Worlds'. With one visitor (Nigel Ford from Solihull in93), and five international club members from Wales, it had the feeling of a universal event. Posted on 20 Jul 2021
Noble Marine sponsor 2021 racing season
Combined Comet class have events at Whitefriars, Llangorse and Exe The Combined Comet Class Association is delighted to announce the continued sponsorship from Noble Marine Insurance for the 2021 racing season. Posted on 30 Apr 2021
Tips for sailing with a young crew
What is different when racing with kids between the age of 6 and 12 Here are some top tips on sailing with young people. The guide covers boat set up, jobs for the crew, sailing techniques, kit and incentives. It is written from the experience of several people who have sailed with kids between the age of 6 and 12. Posted on 25 Oct 2019
Comet Duo Nationals and World Series Event
Lunch was designed by the caterers to slow people down This was the fourth year that Cransley Sailing Club has held the event and we had a great turnout on a tranquil wind day (Force 2 occasionally 3, and sometimes 0-1 in the wind shadows!). Posted on 21 Jul 2019
Comet Duo World Championships at Cransley
Afternoon tiffin on the veranda before the final race Sunshine, force 2 slightly shifty winds and 8 Comet Duos - the perfect combination for the 2nd World Championships of this class which despite only 175 being built is still active and is particularly suited to smaller waters like Cransley. Posted on 13 Jul 2017
Combined Comet Class Association Inlands
At Burghfield SC sponsored by Noble Marine A select band of Comet Trios and Comet Duos assembled at Burghfield Sailing Club on Saturday 27th May for the CCCA Inland Championships sponsored by Noble Marine. Posted on 30 May 2017
Maritimo 2023 S600 FOOTERSavvy Navvy 2024