Mike McNamara & Simon Townsend receiving the W Inland Championship Trophy from Mervyn Wright, DWSC Vice Commodore © Derek Lambert
A good fleet of 19 boats met up at Datchet Water Sailing Club over the weekend of 7/8 April for the UK Wayfarer Inland Championship 2018, which was also the first event of the Craftinsure National Circuit and Travellers Series.
The wind on Saturday was 10-15 knots from the south which gave very close racing with places changing regularly throughout all the races. Wind gusts were sufficient to cause the occasional broach and a solitary capsize by one competitor. ...read more
The second race got away first time. On this occasion it was Marks/Titmus who flew out of the blocks chased by the Wilsons and Len Jones/Jamie Lea. McNamara/Townsend rounded the first windward mark in about sixth place and by the time they had got past the bulk of the fleet Marks/Titmus and the Wilsons had a comfortable lead. The Wilsons eventually got the better of Marks/Titmus to take the win, McNamara/Townsend coming through to take 3rd and Len Jones 4th.
The third and final race of the day also got away first time. Now it was the turn of Richard Stone/Catherine Gore to get away well and they led for a part of the race until swallowed up by McNamara/Townsend who went on to take their second win. The Wilsons and Marks/Titmus resumed their battle eventually overtaking Stone/Gore to finish 2nd and 3rd respectively. Positions 4th-7th finished within a few seconds of each other, the nod going to Adam Wickenden/Stuart Hall.
On Saturday evening most of the fleet decamped to the Ostrich in Colnbrook, a 12th century Inn whose patrons, legend has it, had come to a sticky end in the past. Not on this occasion. A good time was had by all and we agreed to meet again on Sunday morning to see if we could improve our positions in the overall standings.
Alas, Sunday dawned with no wind overhead, little wind forecast and a mist which was turning to rain. The race officer abandoned the day’s racing and so the positions overnight stood for the Championship.
The winners of the Wayfarer Inland Championship for the twelfth time were Michael McNamara and Simon Townsend. Runners-up were Andrew and Tom Wilson. The podium was completed by Guy Marks and Mel Titmus. Michael thanked the race officer, the organising club and home fleet for the event and their hospitality.
The next event in the Craftinsure National Circuit and Travellers Series is at West Oxfordshire Sailing Club on the 21/22 April. This is an open meeting and also the Wayfarer Junior Championship.
| Pos | Sail No | Helm | Crew | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 10648 | Michael McNamara | Simon Townsend | Rollesby Broad SC | 1 | (3) | 1 | 2 |
| 2nd | 11093 | Andrew Wilson | Tom Wilson | Datchet Water SC | (3) | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 3rd | 11050 | Guy Marks | Mel Titmus | Bough Beech SC | 2 | 2 | (3) | 4 |
| 4th | 11226 | Len Jones | Pete Mitchell/Jamie Lea | Medway YC | (DNF) | 4 | 7 | 11 |
| 5th | 11012 | Tim Townsend | Jacqueline Townsend | Medway YC | 5 | (6) | 6 | 11 |
| 6th | 10974 | Richard Stone | Catherine Gore | Medway YC | (12) | 7 | 5 | 12 |
| 7th | 11170 | Brian Lamb | Sam Pygall | Wilsonian SC | 7 | 5 | (13) | 12 |
| 8th | 10710 | Adam Wickenden | Stuart Hall | Silver Wing SC | (13) | 9 | 4 | 13 |
| 9th | 11189 | Nigel O'Donnell | Michael O'Donnell | Swarkestone SC | 4 | (12) | 11 | 15 |
| 10th | 10686 | Brian McKenzie | Liz McKenzie | Medway YC | 6 | 10 | (12) | 16 |
| 11th | 10921 | Tony Cooper | George | Datchet Water SC | (9) | 8 | 9 | 17 |
| 12th | 10688 | Bill Whitney | Lisa Whitney | Shoreham SC | 10 | (13) | 8 | 18 |
| 13th | 10994 | Neil Fletcher | Sarah Northey | Waldringfield SC | 8 | (11) | 10 | 18 |
| 14th | 9416 | Scott Hamilton | Bob Maddox | Datchet Water SC | 11 | 15 | (16) | 26 |
| 15th | 11183 | Mike Weighill | Carl Martin | Swarkestone SC | 14 | (16) | 14 | 28 |
| 16th | 10828 | Derek Lambert | Oliver Lanson-Gore | Datchet Water SC | (DNS) | 14 | 15 | 29 |
| 17th | 11129 | Paul Hughes | Tracy Villa | Arun YC | 15 | (17) | 17 | 32 |
| 18th | ? | Simon Etter | Sue Risbridger | Datchet Water SC | 16 | (18) | 18 | 34 |
| 19th | 8454 | Laura Hodges | Matthew Hodges | Datchet Water SC | 17 | (19) | 19 | 36 |