Comet Duo Championship at Cransley Sailing Club

Comet Duo Championship at Cransley © Cransley SC

"Wow that was great fun!" just one of the comments from a competitor after the above competition had finished. 25 sailors in 13 boats took part in the 3rd Championships at Cransley – the best turnout for over 20 years and on a sunny and breezy (averaging Force 3-4 gusting 5) day – ideal conditions for Duo sailing, perfect!

With only around 175 Duos, it is testament to Andy Simmons build that these dinghies just last for ever, in fact the only failure in these testing conditions occurred in the first race with Duo 103 using a dodgy brass shackle to hold the jib up (which it didn't!). Despite that Nigel and Matilda managed to hold on to just win from Peter in Duo 99, who was very courageously and brilliantly sailing with 2 cracked ribs and single handedly. 3rd place was taken by Charlie and Emily (Duo 165), two young Cransley sailors who in their first competitive sail in the Duo were very impressive. The top 5 were filled with 2 other Cransley-ites, with Rhiain and Ollie (Duo 4) and Jane and John (73), followed by our "international" visitors from Hawley Lake, Stephen (Duo 150) crewed by Cransley Tom, and then Nigel and Anne (Duo 93) from Olton Mere.

The remaining Duos were all from Cransley and despite a little bit of swimming from one all were steadfast in their resolve to finish. Unfortunately we missed John who had a vet emergency.

Comet Duo Championship at Cransley - photo © Cransley SC

None of this back to back racing at these Championships! A sumptuous leisurely lunch followed and Darrell sneakily replaced his crew Astara with Cerella for the second race, thinking as they are identical twins folks wouldn't notice.

Race 2 saw the wind pick up a notch, and with Peter having a swim early on, Nigel and Matilda pulled away from Rhiain and Ollie and Charlie and Emily. Jane and John improved a place but the rest of the places were similar although Mark and Gillian sailed very nicely to improve considerably. There was one David Bellamy moment with Caroline going deep into the reeds after carelessly losing her helm Sophie.

Afternoon tea and tiffin was then taken (that bastion of English civilisation) before Race 3 – and 2nd place was up for grabs between 3 boats (Duos 99, 165 and 4). Nigel and Matilda rather antisocially sailed off into the sunset again but the 2nd place went to Rhiain and Ollie by 1 second from Peter.

Despite 4 of the boats understandably not setting off for Race 3, all the competitors hung around for the shambolic Prize giving where yours truly got all the prizes wrong but after frantic swapping of medals, every agreed it had been a wonderful days sailing – and it was fun, not a collision or protest in sight.

We had a lovely mixture of young sailors (Charlie, Emily, Ollie, Tom, Matilda, Astara and Cerella) and relative newbies (Mark, Gillian, Jason, Gretta, Daryll, Sophie and Caroline) together with some sailing stalwarts (Peter, Jane, John T, Stephen, Nigel x 2, Anne, John L, Alan, Julie, Rhiain and Bob).

Well done you were all winners!

Comet Duo Championship at Cransley - photo © Cransley SC

Thanks to Mike and Sarah (RO and ARO), Paul and David (Safety), Helen and Alice (Galley) and Helen (results). Roll on 2019 – come on the rest of you 162 Duos put a note in you diary for next year to take part, you only live once!

Overall Results: