P&B Phantom Inland Championship at Northampton Sailing Club

P&B Phantom Inlands at Northampton © David Simpson

Training day ahead of the P&B Phantom Inlands at Northampton © Ben Hawkes

P&B Phantom Inlands at Northampton © David Simpson

As the first weekend in June loomed, Phantom sailors from around the country were eagerly viewing their wind apps in the hope that the wind gods were aware it was the long awaited P&B Phantom Inland Championships.

Summer had arrived and along with it, high pressure and light winds! This didn't deter the 40 online entries heading to Northampton Sailing Club with its 420 acres set in the beautiful countryside of Northamptonshire.

The fleet were keen to get together, to meet up with old friends and new. A handful arrived early on Thursday afternoon for the long weekend event, participating the club evening racing.

Friday was a planned training day as a precursor to the main event. John 'Titch' Wayling supported by Simon Hawkes and Mike Webster delivered some onshore boat tuning, exchanging ideas on rig and boat set up. This was followed by on the water coaching for the fifteen Phantoms, the light winds providing perfect conditions for practice roll tacking and gybing and finishing off with numerous short line, windward/leeward races. The debriefing session watching the go pro footage over a glass or two of the local Timothy Taylor's brew was always going to be a success!

Saturday morning saw many more Phantom arrive for the midday start and thankfully the light wind forecast for the weekend didn't deter most. The Race Officer - Neil Barford briefed the competitors, advising a postponement until the much anticipated 5-7 mph westerly arrived in the early afternoon. Due to the Sunday forecast looking even lighter, it was decided go try and race four out of the planned six race event on the Saturday.

Race 1 saw Mike Webster round the windward mark first, but was soon passed by Rob Starling who led the fleet around the trapezoid course. The difficult condition of small pressure bands and dead patches made life difficult for the sailors but Rob Cook closed ranks on the leader and managed to squeeze past on the last short beat to the finish line. Rob Starling smarting in second with Chris Shelton and Miles Odel in third and four respectively.

Race 2 commenced after a quick turnaround with the leading boats sniffing out the light pressure patches ahead of the rest of the pack. The downwind legs being particularly nervy when the fleet bunched together, desperately trying to avoid the killer holes in the wind. Simon Hawkes took the lead from Mike Webster only to have a brain freeze heading to the wrong mark on the last lap, gifting Mike Webster the bullet, Simon Hawkes a frustrated second and Benveluto Fallet taking third, with John 'Titch' Wayling in fourth.

Race 3 commenced in the same light and shifty conditions proving difficult for some to get the much sought after consistency. Clear starts and finding pressure were the key ingredients to success.

Rob Starling again made his presence know at the front end of the fleet with lots of movement and exchange of places, Rob Starling this time converting a first place closely followed by Charlie Chandler and Martin Watts with Simon Hawkes again punching into the top four.

P&B Phantom Inlands at Northampton - photo © David Simpson

Race 4, the final race of the day made the most of the fading pressure. A discard now in play changed to potential leader board and consistency was still the critical factor in who would come out on top after day one and the thought in everyone's mind that there might not be a day two ! The fleet eager to get started were too keen for the Race Officer, who deemed a General Recall. The fleet got away the second time with only one casualty of the 'U' flag. Despite the continuing light and shifty wind, some familiar faces were at the front again proving it wasn't all luck picking out those patchy shifts of pressure.

For the first time in the day the Race officer decided for three laps, which added pain to the sailors already aching knees. Simon Hawkes again dominated taking the winning gun followed by Rob Cook in second, with Richard Sims and Jim Hopton picking up third and fourth.

Sunday dawned with the lake looking like a mirror, with occasional breeze filling in from all directions. A short postponement was made but it was inevitable there would be no prospect of acing. The abandoned flag was duly hoisted drawing a close to the event.

Congratulations to Simon Hawkes who became the 2021 Inland Champion following a set of remarkably consistent results, never being out of the top five in difficult conditions... He clearly knew what he was talking about in the Friday coaching sessions!

Simon Hawkes wins the P&B Phantom Inlands at Northampton - photo © Ben Hawkes

Thanks were given to Northampton Sailing Club for hosting the event and to P&B for kindly sponsoring the championships and providing great prizes.

Overall Results: