Allen 2022 Masters Report

This weekend saw the Allen 2022 Enterprise Masters Championships at Bristol Corinthian Yacht Club.

Early arrivals on the Friday afternoon pitched tents and took advantage of the fabulous sunshine whist sipping a few cold ones, before a gentle stroll into Axbridge for a steak and beverage at the Lamb. The pre-race evening and early morning was topped off with the usual BCYC hospitality in the club house.

Saturday morning brought a fresh and gusty northerly breeze which promised to build through the day so everyone was keen to crack on with racing without delay.

With race one underway the breeze delivered early on its promise with the wind strengthening and shifty guts dropping down through the Gorge. There were plenty of swimmers and a few burgees lost to the lakebed. The Birdys took eventual honours, followed home by Jacko and Craigy with evergreen Anne Jackson and Alan Skeens coming home third.

Race two got underway in the now well-established breeze with gusts pushing past 27 knots for periods. The runs were interesting with the odd gybe forced by sudden changes in direction. Beats were a little kinder, but everyone had to be on their guard in the breaking gusts. Jacko and Craigy were now in the groove, leading home from Steve B and Gabe Hill with the Birds keeping it real in third place.

With some casualties being held off the lee shore by the busy rescue teams and our PRO, Arky, needing to assist, competitors were sent to the clubhouse to warm up, with discretion being the better part of valour for the rest of the day.

The Club caterers served up a fab evening meal while everyone enjoyed a great evening catching up on lost time over through the pandemic. Steve B kept us all entertained with tunes while the inaugural Jack Pope invitational ping pong tournament took up half the dancefloor.

Day two started with the breeze appearing to hold up overnight but by the time racing was underway the breeze was becoming patchy fluctuating anywhere between 5 and 12 knots.

After a couple of recalls Race 3 eventually saw the Birds hit the front again with Steve B and Gabe fighting it out with Phil Ford and Jane Humpage. Steve and Gabe pipped Phil and Jane to second, ensuring Nigel and Andy were kept in reach.

The Birds look to be staking their claim to the title in Race 4 with an early grab on the lead but Steve & Gabe sailed well to push through and take the eventual win with Nigel and Andy second followed by Ann and Alan.

With everything to play for in the final race, the contenders found themselves mid fleet in a one on one battle, while Charles and Alison led a tightly packed fleet, sailing the conditions perfectly to seal the win, Phil and Jane Also worked the conditions well to take second with the Birds using their years of BCYC experience and guile to work up to third and sealing the title.

It was fitting on father’s day that Nigel and Andy were there for the award of the Ken Bird trophy and the well-earned thank you speeches topped off a fabulous social and racing weekend. Thanks again to BCYC and Allen for supporting this event and making it such a success.

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Photos Courtesy of Sally Campbell

Results are final as of 16:00 on 19/06/22