Windsport Catparts 2012 Report

The Windsport Catparts Traveller Series for 2012 was concluded at Grafham on 20/21 October with our biggest attendance (33) of the summer. Once again the series proved very popular and attracted many helms who are new to travelling with their boats. The series was won by National Champion, Stuart Snell, who sailed a strong series and won by some margin. Last year’s National Champion, Kevin Dutch, narrowly took second place from Erling Holmberg on tie break. Snell also won the Inland and Northern Championships but lost out in the Southern Championships which was won by Kevin Kirby on a windy weekend at Marconi Sailing Club

The series kicked off in April at Seasalter where 11 travellers joined 11 locals on a weekend of light breezes. Snell won the event from Holmberg with Dutch in third place. Dutch lost out with an OCS disqualification which set the scene for what was to prove an unlucky season for last year’s Champion. New Sprint 15 owner, Roger Ackroyd, clocked up an encouraging fourth place in his first traveller event.

The second traveller of the series was an unusual one day regatta at Stewartby Water Sports Club in early June when 13 travellers joined 9 locals for 4 races which took part in a good breeze. Steve Sawford beat Dutch into second place and Richard Philpott was third. Robert Finch was top local.

The Southern Championships took place at Marconi in what proved to be the windiest regatta of the series at the end of June. 12 travellers joined 11 locals for an exciting thrash round the buoys on Saturday and then did the ever popular long distance figure of eight course round Northey and Osea Islands on the Sunday. Local star, Kevin Kirby, won both the event and the Long Distance Trophy. Snell was second and Nick Dewhirst (Class Chairman) and David Ball were third and fourth respectively.

The Northern Championships were held at Carsington in September and 10 travellers joined a disappointing 2 locals on a weekend of very light winds. On the Saturday racing was abandoned much to the surprise of the Sprint 15s who were well into a race and making reasonable progress. On Sunday a couple of races were completed in slightly more wind. Defending Northern Champion and light wind specialist, Snell made no mistakes with 2 guns. The Parkhurst family from Beaver took the next 2 places with Neil second and Ian third.

The Inland Championships were held on a weekend on light but steady breezes in October at Grafham. 6 races were completed and the fleet of 33 entries (including 27 travellers) enjoyed some tight racing. Once again Snell won but was pushed very hard by Robin Boardman who took second place in a boat he had bought that weekend. Thomas Sandal managed to hang on for third place after a broken tiller cost him one and a bit races.

So Stuart Snell won the Traveller series from Kevin Dutch who could not seem do a thing right this season.

The fleet has now moved on to the ever popular winter series of one day races which is already underway.