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Great Britain, Thames Valley Travellers 2009

Upper Thames SC

20/21 June

Report by Terry Curtis

14 OK dinghy sailors competed in the annual event at Upper Thames SC. Racing got underway on Saturday in 5-10 knots of breeze from the west, enabling race officer Nigel Garland to start the fleet from the club line with a long beat upstream adding a dogleg in the course to mix things up. The first race was lead from the start by Terry Curtis, followed by Alan Atkin and Julian Burnham. Curtis extended his lead through the race to win comfortably from Burnham with Simon Davis pulling through from an average start to finish 3rd with Atkin dropping to 4th.

Burnham hit the front first in race 2 building up a good lead on the first lap. Curtis started to reel him in, but couldn’t get close enough to challenge the lead leaving Burnham to take the bullet & lead overnight, once again Simon Davis finished 3rd.

The evening festivities lasted well into the early hours, Sundays 10.30 start time arrived all too soon for some. Simon Davis took the first race from the gun extending his lead to finish way out in front Curtis, Burnham & Alan Atkin battled it out for second, with Curtis coming out on top from Burnham & Atkin.

Davis clearly had the bit between his teeth leading the fleet off the line to take his second bullet of the day, leaving the same 3 fighting it out for second. The Wind dropped, then shifted southerly filling in from behind on the run, turning the fleet inside out. Curtis held on to second with Roy Burnham overhauling his son to take 3rd.

Going into the last race it was wide open with Curtis, Julian Burnham & Davis all within a point. Davis once again lead the fleet off the line & rounded first closely followed by Burnham with Curtis some way back. Curtis clawed his way back into contention finally overhauling Davis to take the lead on the third beat. Curtis took the gun & the Yeatman bowl for the event from Davis & Burnham who finished up on equal points – Davis winning on the countback.

Jackie Howden presentated a new Trophy – The Windfall Cup for the first race of the event in the memory of her Late Husband Jim who had been a stalwart of the class at Upper Thames for some 30 years.

Jim won the first race in the 2008 event in spite of suffering with ill health, but sadly passed away later in the year after losing his fight with cancer. He will not be forgotten at Upper Thames or in the OK class.

Results
PosSailno.BoatName
12118ContrabandT. Curtis
21982JokerS. Davis
32101Another BrickJ. Burnham
42115Shooting StarR. Burnham
52085ElkG. Waldron
62089Playing HookeyM. Haigh
72129Boing BoingA. Atkin
82097ConsidaD.Berry
92062MaximillianR. Gadsby
102013Rusty lemonC. Ridley
111803T. Preston
121960Marjo-KJ. Thompson
132088WindfallT. Strzlecki
141894War CanoeM. Elliott