Reports

ISO Training Weekend - King George SC (1st & 2nd December 2001)

AH SO - that's how you do it ! King George SC Training Weekend 2001 King George SC Training Weekend. 1st & 2nd December 2001

Saturday morning was wet, very wet, with a good breeze helping it along. Three of the four ISO crews who had booked for the weekend lined up for the traditional bacon butties. Pete and Johnny soon sniffed out the butties and coffee - try keeping them away!!

ISO Open - Island Barn Reservoir SC (15th October 2000)

The final Open Meeting in the ISO Traveller Series took place at Island Barn Reservoir Sailing Club on Sunday 15th October. In conditions of balmy autumnal sun and almost total calm, racing did get underway as scheduled.

Race 1 saw Gareth Griffiths (579) from the home club get clear from the pack and was never challenged for the lead. The following pack made the most of a zephyr of wind to close up giving the home club boats the first three places. An early lunch was called in the hope of an early afternoon breeze. Race 2 got away after a marginal improvement to the wind, the visitors Pete Lindley (1013) Team RWO with Andrew Frogley, another new crew, won in a decaying wind followed closely by Mike Perry and Andy Hubbard (1192). In Race 3 the Island Barn Commodore Peter Curtis with Katz Harber (918) found their way to the front in the fickle light breeze and this time was followed home by fellow club member Gareth Griffiths (579) with Mike Perry (1192) 3rd after a late charge on the last beat.

Everything was still to play for at the start of the 4th and last race. Again the race started with a light breeze allowing all boats to get away from the start cleanly and Commodore Curtis (918) went on to win the race and consequently the meeting, leaving Griffiths (579) in 2nd and 2nd overall.

Full Results Here....

ISO Open - Glossop & District SC (7th & 8th October 2000)

A very varied range of conditions for the ISO class at Glossop & District SC on the weekend of the 7th & 8th of October. Saturday and rain accompanied by no wind set the scene for the day. Race one and local boys Dave Burke and Steph Lucas lead the fleet round and won by a good margin from Team RWO which was sailed by Pete Lindley and Rob Clarke from Castle Cove SC. Race two and the wind dropped of to nothing and the fleet drifted round the course for an hour before the shortened course signal was made, allowing the very northern pairing of Chris Graham and Mandy Hindle from Newbiggin SC to take line honours, with second place going to the flyweight pairing of Charles Chandler and Adam Savage from Elton SC. Racing over for the day and with an excellent evening down the local Italian Restaraunt in Glossop town, the fleet prepared for a windier racing on the Sunday.

Sunday morning and an increaseing force 3 wind as forcast awaited the fleet. A confused first start of the day saw the fleet disapearing up the beat with five minutes still to go, baffelled we were, but the kind race officer restarted the sequence. After the restart, two close windward leeward laps of the reservoir, Chandler & Savage crossed the line first with the southern father and son pairing of Mike and Chris Perry from Weirwood SC, second. Race four and an increasing wind played into the hands of Team RWO, who after some prestart manouvers managed to bury Chandler & Savage in the pack thefore giving them a bit of a head start up the windy beat. The lead was soon cut down by a dodgy kite drop at the leeward mark by RWO which allowed Chandler & Savage through into the lead, but were soon overhauled by RWO who went on to win the race. Last race of the weekend and again more prestart manouvers between Team RWO and Chandler & Savage. Close racing all the way round throughout the fleet, but Team RWO just managed to hold on to the lead and won the race giving them overall victory by one point over Chandler & Savage, third place went to Dave Burke and Steph Lucas from Glossop & District SC who were first Glossop boat overall.

Full Results Here....

ISO Open - Weirwood SC (1st & 2nd April 2000)

Mick Whitmore and Sarah Smith finally brought the Burridge/Speller run of success to an end, winning in defiant form the ISO open meeting held at Weirwood reservoir on April 1st/2nd. With a string of 3 firsts and a second to count, Mick and Sarah always seemed to be in the right place at the right time, judging the shifts to perfection to produce commanding leads.

The conditions put a premium on crew work, as the wind shifted every thirty seconds to such an alarming extent that you had to tack or gybe as the wind dictated. Rob Burridge and Mike Speller seemed to struggle in the light and shifty conditions, often leaving themselves with too much work to do to catch up the leaders. Nevertheless, in the final three races they staged some major comebacks, winning race 3 outright.

In the fourth race, 'Team RWO', comprised of Alistair Clarke and Pete Lindley, got caught in the lee of a group of Fireballs sharing the course, allowing Rob and Mike to pip them on the line. The final race saw Andrew Gould and Vicky Lewis lead round the first mark, but they were soon overtaken by Mick and Sarah who went on to win. Rob and Mike again staged a late comeback, spotting a gust to the left of the course to climb to second place. In the end, Rob and Mike had done enough to finish second overall in the series, followed by Alistair Clarke and Pete Lindley in third and Andrew Gould and Vicky Lewis in fourth.

With typical modesty, Mick Whitmore claimed to be 'very surprised' at his first ever win in an ISO open meeting, while Sarah Smith put their success down to keeping calm in a crisis, for once.

Full Results Here....

ISO Snowball Series - Bewl Water SC (February 2000)

The ISO Snowball Series is held every year over the four Sundays in February at Bewl Valley SC near Tunbridge Wells. Several boats competed this year but with only three actually qualifying by attending the required amount of races. Weather conditions varied from force 5 on the first Sunday to a force 0-1 on the last Sunday with tempereature ranging from freezing to lukewarm. The top three winners were;

1013	Team RWO	Alistair Clarke & Pete Lindley	Castle Cove SC
1177	Team Eastbourne	Mick Whitmore & Sarah Smith	Eastbourne Sovereign SC
1178	Team Eastbourne	Gary Smith & Lynn Whitmore	Eastbourne Sovereign SC

ISO Gala - Weston SC (30th September & 1st October 2000)

The weekend of 30th September / 1st October, saw more tight racing for the ISO fleet, this time at Weston Sailing Club who despite 'raising the roof' on their clubhouse gave another one of their friendly and efficient displays. Excellent onshore surroundings and a good piece of water make it a place well worth visiting.

The weather played its part. A variety of conditions on the busy if noisy Southampton Water saw winds of force 2 to 4 with some interesting 'holes' and shifts. Isn't it strange how the on form teams are generally in the right place! Sunshine for a good deal of the time made it feel more like late spring and a good time was had by all.

Mike Speller and Rob Burridge showed once again that they are the team to beat with four bullets and a fourth to count. Andy Gould and the ever-young Vicky Lewis consolidated their improving form with five second places. ISO co-designer John Caig, ably assisted by crew Andy Watson used all his wiles and local knowledge to grab a couple of well-deserved firsts to finish third overall. Xtremity sailed by David Cockerill & Guy Ellis just held on to 4th place overall from Team RWO which, for a change was helmed by Pete Lindley, and crewed by ISO World Champion Richard Chadburn. New comers to the fleet this year, Neil Harrison and Paul Roberts, had a good event and finished 6th overall.

Special mention must be made of the race management. Short legs with lots of rounds gave us exiting, close racing and the quick turn arounds were much appreciated.

Full Results Here....

ISO Gala - Lee On The Solent SC (29th & 30th July 2000)

Bright sunshine and 10 to 15 knots of wind greeted the ISO fleet who turned out for the Topper Multi gala on the 29th and 30th July. The racing got off to a slow start with the tide made forcing boats over the line leaving the race officer with no choice but to use the Black Flag. The fleet eventually got away and enjoyed some really tight racing on the trapezoidal course. The shifting breeze made the tactical decisions on the down wind legs very difficult with Mike Speller and Rob Burridge loosing their initial lead to Mick Whitmore and Sarah Smith in their brand new ISO. These boats were rapidly followed by Gary Smith and Lynn Whitmore who were enjoying some extra boat speed from somewhere, and Alistair Clarke and Pete Lindley in Team RWO.

The race officer extended the course for the second race giving the fleet some nice long legs. With the tide still running offshore the fleet were force out into the large fleet of yachts racing in Cowes week which added some interesting tactics near the windward mark. Speller and Burridge sailed a good race winning by a large margin by the finish followed by Team RWO. The third race was held in a freshening breeze and allowed the Clarke and Lindley into the lead followed by Speller and Burridge. On the last beat the boom aboard Team RWO failed giving Team RBRC an easy win. (We reckon it was those laser beams from Burridge's eyes that did it!)

The second day's racing was held in slightly less breeze and was dominated by three boats. Speller and Burridge showed their continued domination over the ISO class by winning all three races followed by Mick and Sarah in their new boat, and then Gary and Lynn.

Full Results Here....

ISO Gala - Eastbourne Sovereign SC (17th & 17th June 2000)

The ISO fleet gathered at Eastbourne Sovereign Sailing Club over the weekend of the 17th - 18th June for the latest round of the Multi Gala series. A very hot weekend was forecast, this materialised, however light winds from the east Dominated the weekend. After a slight delay racing got underway.

Race 1 and National Champions Mike Speller and Rob Burridge played the first beat right and were not headed throughout the race, though they were chased home all the way by Mick Whitmore and Sarah Smith from the local club with Team RWO Alistair Clarke and Pete Lindley in third place.

Race 2 got underway with Whitmore and Smith having to re-cross the start line round the end, with only one lap to go they had managed to get back to fourth place with Speller and Burridge leading from Team RWO. Some confusion then set in as to a shorten course flag and all of the fleet with the exception of Whitmore and Smith suddenly headed off for the finish line with their spinnakers up, doubt then set in with the leaders, especially as Whitmore and Smith were by now nearly up to the windward mark, so all the fleet set off in pursuit up wind again, this gave a gift win to Whitmore/Smith and enough distance between them and the rest of the fleet so the laughing couldn't be heard. Team RWO were second and Speller/Burridge third. The last race of the Saturday in the dying wind saw "Flying Bannana" sailed by Andrew Gould and Vicky Lewis at last fulfil their potential and take an open meeting race win, Vicky celebrating in style as they crossed the line and took the gun, Team RWO second, Speller and Burridge third.

Saturday night at Eastbourne Sovereign is always party night, a great barbeque, the England V Germany match on TV ( WE WON!) and a Live band made for a terrific evening/early morning. Sunday, the sun was out all day again, and the light winds were slightly better than the day before. Speller and Burridge had obviously been drinking shandy or orange juice only, three wins from the three races, can't argue with that sort of form. Not far behind them, though definitely not shandy drinkers were Gould and Lewis with two seconds and a third. Team RWO were down a little on the day with fifth and two third places and Whitmore and Smith were disappointed with a fourth and two fifth places. John Gill and Juliet Daniels from Stone S.C. came on the pace on Sunday with a second a two fourth places. Again some new faces appearing on the circuit, these are most welcome.

A good event, a great party. Thanks to sponsors for donating various prizes, Smith and Gibbs Yacht Chandlers, and Storm 10 Clothing.

Full Results Here....

ISO Gala - Brightlingsea SC (20th & 21st May 2000)

May 20th / 21st and the ISO class arrived at Brightlingsea SC for the third event in the Multi Gala series. First race and laughter spread through the fleet as national champions Mike Speller and Rob Burridge sailing Team RBRC, hit and hooked the windward mark round the rudder, dragging it 50 yards down wind, despite this slight hiccup, they went on to win, with Alistair Clarke and Pete Lindley aboard Team RWO, second. Team RBRC confidently went on to win the remaining two races of the day with local boys Jeremy Newman and Geoff Gritton sailing Team IES, second in both races.

Sunday and Pin end boys John Payne and Geoff Creese left the fleet standing on the start but were eventually caught by Xtremity sailed by David Cockerill and Guy Ellis from Emsworth Slipper. With a big windshift during the fifth race, the fleet positions were thrown around with Team RWO coming out on top, just finishing in front of Team IES. The final race of the weekend and Team RBRC took line honours with Xtremity in a close second.