The inaugural meeting at Frensham attracted thirteen entries many of them top class helms, and line-up also included two adult helms for whom this was their first race and two children aged eight and nine making up teams with their parents and grandparents – just the right way to get them started since their mistakes were cheerfully tolerated by most of the competitors. The event was won by Richard Alford of Southwater Dabblers who ran away with the meeting sailing a boat of his own design – a smallish hard chine hull with film swing rig. Second and third places were taken by Paul Midgley sailing the same modified Bug 3 which he used in the 2008 Nationals, and Gordon Edmundson sailing Roger Stlooery’s new AWK. Fourth place went to David Wilkinson.
It was a day which started with very little wind and we feared a drifter but the forecast proved right and the afternoon races were sailed in a good 12 knot breeze making the morning choice of rigs very difficult since we were sailing the two rig rule.
The children did very well sailing the off wind legs initially and gaining confidence as the day progressed until Mimi Roche (9) managed a superb start by herself which took the boat to fourth at the windward mark. Her grandfather promptly ruined the next leg which proves that sailing should be left to the naturals!
Frensham is a delightful setting for Footys with a grass bank flanking the whole of the course – and in the sunny afternoon the competitors took to sailing from garden chairs along the edge. The event was managed by Race Officer Don Videlo a veteran of international events in much bigger boats than these and by Pat Reed our able bosun. Mona and Rita provided a Frensham tea and the children laid marks. Prizes were presented by Judith Young, Frensham’s Rear Commodore who is now a convert to our sort of sailing. The event proved conclusively that a model yacht group can co- exist with full size sailors quite happily and we sailed against an attractive backdrop of 2.4 keelboats
The full list of competitors:
Prize winners: 1st Richard Alford, 2nd Paul Midgley, 3rd Gordon Edmundson, Lady Competitor Mimi Roche (aged 9) Youngest competitor Peter Roche (aged 8)
Other competitors: John Bernie (9th), Nick Burden,(10th) John Cadenhead,(7th) Mark Collyer,(13th) Bill Letten,(5th) Gary Sanderson,(6th) David Wilkinson (4th), David Hawkins (8th), Team Mim (Charles Smith and Mimi Roche, 11th), Team Bug3 (Philip Roche and Peter.12th)
