ISO Travellers / Northern Circuit - Glossop & District SC (9th & 10th October 1999)

ISO's from as far away as Edinburgh and Gatwick for the final round of the ISO Northern Travellers for the weekend of 9/10 October. Grey skies and a prevailing westerly force 3 greeted competitors for the first of three races on Saturday. This allowed Brian Dixon the Race Officer to set a beat to the dam followed by off wind reaches down the lake with a gybe mark just off the club house.

In the first race a leading pack of Graham Shaw crewed by Mark Robinson(1179), Dave Eddowes helming for Pete Lindley in Team RWO (1013), Chris King and Andy Hubbard (Wet & Wild - 1080) and newcomer to the front, Mike Perry (1192) with son Chris on the wire, all took the lead at some point in the race. At the last leeward mark RWO lead with Perry comfortable second followed by Shaw and King; a capsize in front of the club house by Perry elevated Shaw and King to 2nd and 3rd. Race 2 was lead from start to finish by RWO with King and Perry challenging for 2nd & 3rd. The 3rd race on Saturday was a three way contest between Shaw, who went onto win, Perry who collapsed to third after his third capsize of the day and RWO.

Sunday morning was no brighter but the wind still in the west had now picked up an extra point or two; ideal for clearing the head after the previous evenings entertainment at the local Blues Club.

Races 4 & 5 were both won by Team RWO thus clinching the meeting. In race 4 Shaw and RWO battled it out for the lead, RWO securing the win with some tactical gybes on the last downwind leg, with Shaw looking to defend his second, as Perry closed the gap. Race 5 saw Perry lead from the start until his now predictable capsize allowing RWO and King through, with Shaw retiring with a broken mast.

Full Results Here....

ISO Travellers - Lowestoft SC (10th & 11th July 1999)

A quality turnout of ISOs turned up to the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk YC on the 10th & 11th July, for the fifth travellers event of the season. With blazing hot sunshine and a perfect force four, a clean start was made by all. Mike Speller and stand in World Champion ISO crew Dave Ling sailing 'Rob Burridge Race Coaching', were first to the windward mark and continued to extend their lead till the finish. The best racing was down in the pack, where places changed continuously throughout the large round the cans course, with overall winners of the pack being 'Team RWO' being sailed by top Fireball sailor Veronica Fallett and regular crew Pete Lindley. Race two saw three boats over the line - RBRC, Team RWO, and 568 Fred sailed by World Champion ISO helm Stu Rix & crewed by Mike Claxton. Eventual winners of race two were 568 Fred.

With the sun shining again and now a force five blowing, the courses for Sunday were set for windward leeward. First to the windward mark, was Speller and Dinger who led for all of lap one, then down the final run just as 568 Fred was settling for second place, RBRC gybed and Speller decided to go for a walk out of the back of the boat. Fred won the race with RBRC second and a consistent 1180 Chris King & Andy Hubbard sailing Wet & Wild Graphics, third, followed by the father and son team Mike and Chris Perry sailing 1192. The final race of the day started with just Wet & Wild Graphics on the start line who then retired after the start due to everybody retired due to varying circumstances.

Full Results Here....

ISO Travellers - Lymington Town SC (8th & 9th May 1999)

Thirteen ISO's attended the 2nd travellers event which took place at Lymington Town SC on the 8th/9th May. Sailing on the Saturday took place in a 20 knot breeze and overcast skies. Team RWO sailed by Alistair Clarke and Pete Lindley reveled in the conditions winning the first race with Andrew Gould and Vicky Lewis from Emsworth, second. Team RWO again won the second and third races, with second places going to Kevin Moore and Peter Hamilton, who have returned after a year off, and the yellow boat of Gould and Lewis.

Sunday can be summarized by less wind and more sunshine, which in turn brought out more boats to the start line. With more boats on the course, the competition was greatly increased. The first race of the day, and fourth race of the weekend, was won by fair weather sailors Mick Whitmore and Sarah Smith from Eastbourne after a close tacking duel up to the finish line with Team RWO who in turn lead the fifth race from start to finish. The sixth race provided the most entertainment of the weekend when a 40ft yacht - which must have been helmed by Mick Whitmore's mother, managed to force the race leaders, Clarke and Lindley in to a crash gybe at the windward mark so as to avoid a costly T-bone. This maneuver allowed Whitmore and Smith through to take the lead which they held for the rest of the race to the finish.

Full Results Here....

ISO Travellers - Weirwood SC (21st & 22nd March 1999)

The first ISO event of 1999 attracted 20 boats and was held at Weir Wood SC near East Grinstead on the 21st and 22nd of March. Saturday's racing was run in a pleasant force 2 to 3, with the race officer using practically all the buoys on the pond. The first race was won by Mike Speller and Rob Burridge, Colin State and Vicki Watling finished second. The fourth race saw Speller and Coach, and newcomers to the class Team RWO over the line, both re rounded and started to play catch-up. A shift to the right in the wind, allowed RWO to take full advantage and overtook the majority of the fleet with a couple of tacks. The winners of the final race of the day were Dave Giles and Richard Chadburn beating the Nation Champions Lucy Kennedy and Matt Haddon.
Day two proved much more testing for everybody, the wind had increased to a force four to five, which made things a bit more interesting. The course was again all over the pond which proved tiring for most crews having to pull the spinnaker up and down several times during the race. 1188 won the first race with Rob Langton and Simon Hadley sailing 'One 2 One' second. What proved to be the last race of the weekend, saw the same boats first and second.

Full Results Here....

ISO Gala / Travellers - Lee On The Solent SC (June 1999)

23 ISOs rolled up to Lee on Solent SC for the fourth Gul sponsored Multi Gala. With Blazing sunshine and an increasing wind, 1188 Mike Speller and Rob Burridge showed good skills and led from start to finish with 1177 Mick Whitmore and Sarah Smith from Eastbourne Sovereign second from John Caig Sailcraft who were having their own battle with 730 John Payne and Geoff Crease from Brightlingsea SC (BSBS). Race two and again 'Rob Burridge Race Coaching' won through but with Rob Langton and Simon Hadley sailing 921 'One 2 One' second. We won't mention who won the third race but because it's getting tedious now, but yet again second place went to somebody else this being Dave Giles and Richard Chadburn sailing 1186 'BAFRSC'.

Sunday morning and the wind was on the blowy side one might say. But after a slight delay, the majority launched whilst others thought better of it and packed away. A new tactic by Alistair Clarke and Pete Lindley sailing 1013 'Team RWO', on the Saturday night - stay sober! paid off and they duly won the first race with Rob Burridge Race Coaching second for a change! With a broken down rescue boat, the race officer sent everybody in to wait for further info. Rescue boat fixed, everybody launched bar RBRC who had already won the event. A good breeze and a port end flyer by the BA pilot Dave Giles saw the fleet starting the old catch up game. First leeward mark and a trawl by Andy Gould and Vicky Lewis nearly saw a lot of damage by other ISO's. Second beat and One 2 One moved through into the lead. Second leeward mark and the crew aboard RWO fell out the boat. With One 2 One covering BAFRSC all the way up the beat and down the final run, Team RWO now third from last gybed inshore and arrived at the leeward mark in third. One 2 One held BAFRSC till the line to take first place and second overall on count back.

Full Results Here....