Burghfield Blaze Open – 17-18th April 2004

The annual Burghfield Blaze open and training weekend attracted 26 entrants over a weekend of very mixed weather.  The first morning saw an on the water training clinic run by Steve Townsend of the home club.  However with 2 other classes racing in the background and the wind building the fleet very eagerly switched into racing mode for the first 2 open races in the afternoon.  Sunshine and a respectable F4 made for great racing.  Mike Lyons (654) and David Angwin (710) broke away in both races to finish in that order chased by Paul Hemsley (656) and Ray Farell (676) in race 1 and by Simon Kemp (688) and Peter Barlow (658) in race 2.   A note of confusion crept into Race 2 when the leading group of RS 300’s decided to personalise the set course and to lead their fleet round the leeward mark the wrong way for the whole race.  This led to a few confrontations as Blazes descended on it at terminal velocity on port.  Fortunately there were no collisions.   

The second day was very different.  Very light winds at first and persistent rain made for a somewhat dour day and while the wind improved the rain remained.  Despite all race officer Andy Leigh’s efforts the wind was to prove tricky to both course setters and racers alike.  Several coastal sailors now joined the event but without the luxury of the two discards otherwise available.  Race three was a slow one and at the front Steve Cockerill (707) rounded the windward mark first pursued by Lyons.  The next hour saw these two swop the lead seven or eight times in the shifty wind followed by Roger Williams who always threatened to steal it from both if they became too absorbed.  In the end Lyons just got the inside track round the last mark to win by a couple of lengths.   Williams and Hemsley followed Cockerill. 

Race 4 saw a rerun of the previous scrap but in an improving wind.  This time a shift caught Cockerill going low on the wrong side of it and Lyons eventually took the race by 100+ metres.  The consistent Williams followed them in with Angwin and Hemsley in pursuit.   The last race saw Lyons get an early lead rounding the windward mark first followed by Paul Taylor (640) and Cockerill.  The brand new Rooster boat then experienced a failure in one of its carbon wing tubes dumping Cockerill into the lake.   By the time he re boarded the pack were upon him seemingly destroying his chances of a good place.  A lap later Lyons, not needing the result, retired to the warmth of the clubhouse.  Cockerill, fortunate as the wind was now falling, was able to work his way back through the fleet despite having an unusable wing on one side.  He won the race from Taylor, in the process securing 2^nd place overall, with Williams and Barlow in third and forth.

The class now looks forward to its next meeting at Bala in early May and to the Blaze Nationals at Menegham Rythe SC over 3 days in June (4/5/6)

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