Last updated 15:58, Thursday, 02 October 2008

DESPITE the exceptionally heavy rain and flooded roads 40 boats and their crews managed to reach Kielder Water.

They were taking part in Kielder Water Sailing Club’s open meeting, which included the Osprey Scottish and Northern Championship and GUL Grand Prix Series event; the RS200 Northern Tour and RS200 Scottish Series event, and the Lakeland Laser Grand Prix Series event.

On the Saturday the north-easterly F5-6 was coming straight off the hills and on to the course area, giving very challenging conditions.

Race officer Colin Murray set two triangle-sausage races (with windward-leewards for the RS200s) back-to-back, and then postponed the third race until the following day because of the deteriorating conditions.

The Laser event only just took place on the Saturday. Luke McGill and Billy Maughan, both 14 and from Sunderland YC, came first and second overall, sailing extremely competitively against experienced adults.

The 13 Ospreys saw close racing throughout the weekend, with a further four races being sailed on the Sunday.

By this time the wind had dropped to F3-4, and had veered to the north, giving slightly steadier conditions.

Oscar Chess and Peter Frith, Poole YC, were first with 11 points, closely followed by Steve Goacher/Nick Broomhall (Royal Windermere SC) and Rob Shaw/Alistair Smith (KWSC) both on 13 points.

Winner of the GUL Endeavour Trophy was Nick Jones. First Northern Osprey was Steve Goacher, and furthest travelled was Mike Pickering from Exeter.

The RS200s had a clear winner with Chris Pickles and Laura Westall (Delph SC) collecting only six points after a discard, and Katie Masterson and Shona Redpath (St Mary's Loch SC) in second place with Bess Homer and Kirsty Higgins (Dalgety Bay SC) in third.

Flying Fifteens took the first three places in the handicap fleet, Giles Passmore and Fiona Goacher/Mike Charlton (KWSC) winning with four firsts and a second.