Bob C wrote:
The Grafham Catamaran ? Pro Am Training 9 June 2002
The Grafham Pro-Am training programme continued with the two races in the afternoon of Sunday 9 June when 9 Dart 15s lined up on a wet afternoon with a force 3-5 South Westerly breeze. The committee boat crew (Bill Tusting & co) were also from the Dart 15 fleet, which reduced the entries by some 4.
In the first race Liz Rugg was first across the line closely followed by Keith Ball and Bob Rowntree. At the windward mark it was Ball first closely followed by John Long with his pro Will Edwards and then Frank Sandells, Rowntree, Rugg and her pro Bob Carter. On the run Rugg overtook Rowntree and held on along the reach hiking in great style. At the line after one lap it was Ball, Long, Sandells, Rowntree and newcomer John Rumsey who took Rugg after a fluffed tack (or 3) by Rugg. Once the first lap was over, the Pros were released from their respective Ams. Will Edwards was well away and led to the finish. The other Pros, George Carter and R Carter got back to second and third respectively and then came the Ams. Keith Ball was next, closely followed by Bob Rowntree, Frank Sandells and John Long. John Rumsey, in his first ever race in a Dart 15, unfortunately missed the line in the confusion and then Liz Rugg completed her first ever race with a big triumphal grin.
The strong winds and a few retirements after the first race caused some regrouping of the Pro-Am teams for the last race. Frank Sandells tore off to an early lead followed by Ball and Rowntree, each with their Pros in close company. Sandells was first to the windward mark with pro, Bob Carter, but Ball threw away second by sailing towards the wrong mark ? the bellows of his pro, Will Edwards, could be heard across the lake! This left Rowntree and G Carter to take advantage of the error and come round 3rd and 4th. Sandells sailed a faultless first lap and was first through the line followed by Ball and Rowntree, each with their respective Pros in tow. The race was then on, unencumbered to the finish. R Carter won with Sandells only a short distance behind in second. G Carter recovered to 3rd from Edwards (but was disappointed that a 35 minute race was too short to effect a recovery after a big deficit) and then Ball and Rowntree came in to complete the results.
Thus after 5 months of monthly Pro ? Am training the Grafham Ams are becoming very proficient and this bodes well for Team Grafham at the Nationals at Whitstable at the end of August.
Bob Carter, Grafham Fleet Captain
