UK: East Coast Pier Race 2011

by Andrew Dowley– East Coast Piers Race 2011 – Full report at www.eastcoastpiersrace.com
This year’s East Coast Piers Race and Colne Point Race were held over the weekend of 9th and 10th July at Marconi Sailing Club, Essex. 61 boats turned out for race day.

The course takes participants from Osea Pier, down the Blackwater Estuary to Bradwell, across the Estuary, and then along the coast passing Clacton Pier and turning at Walton Pier for the return journey.
Inshore Races: Saturday provided the competitors with a force 4 wind coming from the South West, perfect for a blast up and down the river.

The first race started just after 1pm and took the fleet up river round a mark at the end of Osea Island and down to Thirslet Spit, returning to come through the line. 4 laps were on the board but the race officer shortened the race to two laps.
… Many of the competitors were caught out by having to go through the inner and outer distance marks of the line in both directions leading to disqualification in the first race.
1st Place – Chris Sproat and Georgina Burke, AHPC Viper
2nd Place – Phil Marks and Andrew Sinclair, Tornado
3rd Place – Lee Harrison and Andrew Dowley, Tornado

…After a late start on the first race, Kyle Stoneham and Ben Newton made up for it in the second race with a fantastic sail – although Will Sunnucks and Oli Egan were first over the water, Kyle and Ben took the race victory.
1st Place – Kyle Stoneham and Ben Newton, Nacra F18
2nd Place – Simon Northrop and Tom Walker, Shockwave F18
3rd Place – Chris Sproat and Georgina Burke, AHPC Viper

…Sunday – Race Day
The Colne Point race then started 20 minutes later at 9.50am with 23 boats taking part.
Getting to Bradwell was not so much of a problem, it was once through the gate and heading to Colne Point that the wind stopped for an hour or so. Many of the boats crept over to the West Mersea shore which paid off as they made their way up the fleet. The boats which had stayed on the Bradwell side benefitted from a force 3 breeze which filled in from the South, competitors at Mersea could see the others on the trapeze with their kites up – it was a waiting game for the wind to spread across the mouth of the river.

First back were Jack Tindale and Trevor Bawden sailing ‘Thriller’ the bright pink Nacra Carbon F20 followed by Will Sunnucks and Oli Egan on their Vampire M20.

Raffle : Every year Marconi Sailing Club run a raffle to raise funds for The Cirdan Sailing Trust and the Essex Air Ambulance, the top prize in the raffle is a Wildwind Sailing Holiday for two people in Greece.
There are many other generous donations for raffle prizes including sail bags, sailing trips and Yachts and Yachting Subscriptions.
The winner of the top prize this year was R. Pendrill who lives in Writtle, Chelmsford – we hope you have a fantastic holiday in Greece with Simon and the Wildwind team.

Results – Photos here
Saturday Series – Chris Sproat and Georgina Burke, AHPC Viper
Colne Point Race – Sandy Jordan, Sprint 15
East Coast Piers Race – Chris Sproat and Georgina Burke, AHPC Viper

Sponsors & Helpers: Marconi Sailing Club could not organise the race weekend without the help of our Sponsors and the volunteers who fulfil various tasks throughout the year to pull the event together. – Sponsored by Wildwind Sailing Holidays and Adnams.

Full report and More information www.eastcoastpiersrace.com