ISO Gala - Bristol Corinthian SC (26th & 27th March 2000)

Mike Speller and Rob Burridge once again retained their pole position at the top of the ISO fleet, winning the ISO gala event at Cheddar reservoir, Bristol on March 26th/27th. With huge windshifts, sunny and calm one minute, then force five and a raging hailstorm the next, the place changes were dramatic, and virtually everyone could claim to be leading at some stage.

The most serious challenger was 'Team RWO', helmed by Alistair Clarke and crewed by Pete Lindley. Perhaps it was a mistake wearing that shortie wetsuit in a hailstorm, but Pete's hard northerner image was somewhat diminished by the pathetic cries of ow! ow! as they trailed the leaders up the last beat. In the end they had beaten Mike and Rob twice, but after coming second in the final race they finished 3 points behind the leaders, counting 2 firsts, a second and a fourth.

In the runner up positions, Eastbourne Sovereign S.C. and Emsworth Slipper S.C were battling it out boat for boat, with Mick Whitmore and Sarah Smith pulling off some great stunts to finish 3rd. As has been the pattern at the Worlds and Nationals last year, Andrew Gould and Vicky Lewis were neck and neck with the other Eastbourne boat crewed by Gary Smith and Lynn Whitmore, who eventually finished in 4th and 5th places respectively. A capsize in the last race caused Dave Cockerill and Guy Ellis to drop to 6th place, completing the ESSC sandwich.

Full Results Here....

ISO Inlands / Gala - Datchet Water SC (21st & 22nd October 2000)

The ISO Inland Championship was held at Datchet water on 21st and 22nd October. On Saturday three races were held back to back in a dull force two, gusting three. In the first race Mike Speller and Katie Keam-George led round the windward mark, pursued by Andrew Gould and Vicky Lewis, 'Team RWO' John Caig and Pete Lindley, Charles Chandler and Adam Savage. These four pulled clear of the main pack with positions constantly changing. 'Team RWO' won followed by Speller, Gould and Chandler, with Mike Perry in fifth.

The second race started in slightly more wind with the same four boats pulling away from the main fleet. Gould eventually won followed by Speller with 'Team RWO' just beating Chandler into third and Perry again fifth.

Gould led the third race around the windward mark, with some close exciting mark-rounding behind. Gould and Chandler pulled clear of the chasing pack with Gould leading all the way round but being overtaken by Chandler on the final beat up to the finish. Speller pulled through to third followed by Penny Gorton and Brian Greensmith in fourth with 'Team RWO' in fifth.

Sunday was dull, damp and foggy with no wind; after an hour long postponement, racing was abandoned for the day, leaving Andrew Gould and Vicky Lewis as the ISO inland champions for the year 2000.

Full Results Here....

ISO Nationals - Salcombe YC (25th - 28th August 2000)

The Island Cruising Club at Salcombe hosted the Xtremity Sponsored 2000 ISO Nationals over the 25th-28th August.

Racing took place out of the Estuary in the bay where the fleet were greeted with steady southwesterly winds on the first day for the first two of ten scheduled races. The class were fortunate to have Race officer Ken Falcon for the duration of the Nationals. The main contenders hopes were raised by the sight of defending National Champion helm Mike Speller limping around on crutches due to leg ligament damage, though he fully intended to race. Race 1 was sailed in a nice force 2 - 3 and once the fleet had worked out the swirling tide over the race course, Mike Speller and Rob Burridge led for the first 2 laps of the windward-leeward course, out of the chasing pack came Gary Smith and Lynn Whitmore who sailing very fast downwind shot passed Mike and Rob to take first place, Andrew Gould and Vicky Lewis took third place. Much the same conditions for race 2 saw Alistair Clarke and Pete Lindley sailing Team RWO lead from start to finish to take a comfortable win, Mike and Rob again second with John Caig and Andy Watson in third.

Day two and three races round the windward Leeward. Race 3 and again Team RWO, Alistair and Pete won from Mike and Rob second, in third and back on the pace after a slow start was Mick Whitmore and Sarah Smith. Race 4 and the defending champions Mike and Rob showed the fleet round winning from Team RWO with Mick and Sarah taking another third place. Race 5 started in much the same conditions, though after a couple of laps the wind was up to a force 4 and freshening rapidly in a rain squall, surprisingly the light weight pairing of Andrew Gould and Vicky Lewis never looked like being caught, sailing a fantastic race to beat Mike and Rob and Team RWO respectively, Kevin Moore and Pete Hamilton going well in the strong winds to take 4th place.

The I.C.C. put on a great social in the evening with the 120 competitors filling the bar to enjoy a great Barbeque and social. Day three and still all to play for at the top, nice force two to three, steady direction and most of us had sort of worked out the tide by now. Mike Speller and Rob Burridge though new something the rest didn't and blew the fleet away with three straight wins. This leaving the rest to fight for the minor places. Team Rwo, Alistair and Pete had their worst day scoring a 5th, 8th, and 2nd and leaving overall victory out of reach. Andrew and Vicky were the most consistent with three 3rd places.

The last day dawned with no wind at all, and Race officer Ken Falcon postponed until 1500 hrs at the latest to give the wind a chance, and with the a possibility of either one of five teams capable of taking second place overall, no one was keen to pack up early. With Mike and Rob already champions and now resting his leg, finally racing got underway at 1500 hrs with only the possibility of one race instead of the scheduled two. Frantic calculations before the start and most new who they had to beat to go up or stay put. John Caig and Andy Watson led round the windward mark with Karen and Ian Falcon sailing a brilliant first beat rounding closely behind the ageing John Caig - but slipped down the placings due to a tuning tip given by JC to pull the kite right up to the top block whilst trying to run deep in light airs. The two "Team Eastbourne" boats were close behind battling to finish the regatta on a high. John and Andy stretched their lead to win comfortably, with Mick and Sarah beating Gary and Lynn by half a boat length, these two being on front of Andrew and Vicky meant a great deal to Team RWO in fifth place.

So a great Championship at Salcombe. Mike Speller and Rob Burridge defending their title, in the end quite comfortably. Though for all the other places it was the tightest racing yet. Thanks to all at the Island Cruising Club, the Race Officer Ken Falcon, and Xtremity for sponsoring the event.

Full Results Here....

Bloody Mary Pursuit Race - Queen Mary SC (January 2000)

ISO Gala - Draycote Water SC (15th & 16th April 2000)

The ISO open circuit moved to Draycote Water S.C. for the latest round of the GALA series held on 15th & 16th April. On the Saturday, Alistair Clarke and Pete Lindley in 'Team RWO' used their weight and skill to great advantage, recording three straight wins in the freezing rain and stronger winds. They even managed to capsize twice in a single race, once on a gybe and the other on a crash tack, but were up again so quickly that the chasing pack failed to catch them. The Whitmore/Smith teams vied for second and third places, with Mick Whitmore and Sarah Smith gaining the upper hand over their Eastbourne team-mates Gary Smith and Lynn Whitmore.

On the Sunday, the day dawned sunny and calm, in complete contrast to the freezing conditions of the day before. Mick and Sarah faced an almost impossible task of eroding the lead set by 'Team RWO'. They needed to win every race, or force 'Team RWO' down the fleet. They almost succeeded. Their ability to point low on the runs while maintaining speed, enabled them to come through to the lead time and time again. In the penultimate race, they caught 'Team RWO' on starboard at the start, forcing them into a disastrous position from which they never recovered. Meanwhile Mick and Sarah went on to win. However, in the end, their string of two 1sts and one 2nd was not enough to claw back the lead from 'Team RWO' and they had to be content with 2nd overall. Gary Smith and Lynn Whitmore finished in 3rd place in the regatta. Andrew Gould and Vicky Lewis in 'Flying Banana' narrowly beat the Brightlinsea team of John Payne & Geoff Crease to finish in 4th and 5th places respectively.

Full Results Here....