SGP 2004 Team Trophy
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	Race 1	Race 2	Race 3	Race 4	Race 5	Race 6
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“SGP 2004 - Grin Factor 10”

Full Report from Fast Sail website

by Cath Barrett

Rutland Water Sailing Club hosted the Symmetric Grand Prix this year and after the Datchet event in 2003, it is a Regatta that has high expectations, promising to provide a unique mix of high quality sailing, advice and technical support, wonderful prizes from sponsors and off-water entertainment that is almost as keenly anticipated as the racing.

The event began on Friday evening as sailors arrived from all over the UK. With most sailors opting to camp, plans were made for a campfire party and the singing was lead by Peter Blanchard and his guitar. Peter, an Osprey sailor, was unable to compete in the SGP due to work commitments but came to Rutland to meet up with friends made on the Fastsail.org website. Peter, Steve Greenhalgh and Cath Barrett started the singing off in reasonably decorous fashion but it would appear that each of the Fastsail classes has its own resident entertainer and we were treated to “turns” by Strangler (Hornet) and Corin (FD). Mike Pickles (Javelin) and Alex Hammond (Hornet) helped each other stagger through various very rude sailing songs.

Saturday morning and sailors who hadn’t camped arrived to register. The Osprey fleet lead the financial administration this year and Ian Madeley, Janet and John Shenton processed all the entries, T-shirts (supported by Pinnell & Bax), food vouchers and prize eligibility criteria with such efficiency that they may well have found themselves a job for life.

The sun shone whilst people prepared their boats, renewed acquaintances and nursed hangovers. For some people this was the time to meet their sailing partners for the weekend. Lucy Lingard, a fireball sailor and by now a legend from the first Symmetric Grand Prix, travelled from a Scottish oil-rig to meet up with her helm for the weekend Gavin Johnson, chairman of the Javelin fleet. Joe Moore, promised a crew “come what may” should have been a little daunted when introduced to his crew, 11 year old Laz Cockeram. Laz, formally an Optimist sailor (now a fully fledged Fireball crew) showed little trepidation as he learnt to trapeze on the way to the first start line and Joe should be commended for the huge grins that would not leave Laz’s face.

As the boats left the boat park and headed for the start line, clouds rumbled in, the wind picked up and the first race was delayed by a squall and a huge downpour that threw itself down as the 5 minute signal sounded. The squall sent several boats over and had the majority of the under-dressed sailors shivering as the wind shifted and shifted again. Being a Race Officer is an arduous task. Being the OOD for the SGP takes courage and Ralph Tingle possibly would have wished for an easier first start. Before the end of the first race, the rain stopped and sailors had warmed up and dried out. The next two starts went without a hitch and the mild bulge in the centre of the line in Race 2 was rightly ignored in the spirit of this essentially fun event and the fact that everyone wanted 3 races on both days.

Inevitably the youngsters in the fleet were worst hit by the squall and some of the adult helms with young crews headed back to the shore, perhaps resigned to sitting on the shore. However, as the weather improved, youngsters like Tom Greenhalgh in Fireball 14185, Liam Packham in Javelin 563, William Hall in Flying Dutchman 383 and Jamie Whittaker helming FD38 grabbed several more layers of clothes and were all back out to take on World, European and National Champions from across the fleets. Peter Murphy and Becky Cross (both under 16) in Javelin 430 perhaps define one of the key elements of the Symmetric Grand Prix. The technical challenges of a large fleet of 7 different dinghies of differing abilities means that the event has to have not only first rate Race Officers but extremely experienced safety teams. Perhaps this was why Peter Murphy and Becky Cross felt confident enough to be in the mix of things on the start line of Race 2. With less than a minute to go to the gun, they found themselves right at the front of the line, jostling for position with some of the best sailors at the event. Unfortunately, with 30 seconds to go they were over the line and in text book fashion attempted to rectify the situation and in the process annihilated many a “rock-star’s” attempt at the perfect start! Good humour prevailed and the consensus of opinion off the water was that they were to be commended for getting into the action, rather than hanging back.

Because of the huge level of sponsorship support the Symmetric Grand Prix attracts and also to give the organisers the opportunity to acknowledge as many performances on the water as possible, it was decided this year to hold a prize giving ceremony after both days racing.

As is becoming a tradition now with the Symmetric Grand Prix, competition right through the fleet is encouraged and the top sailors who attend are magnanimous and supportive of the fact that this is perhaps the one event of the year where they may go away with simply the respect of their peers and a certificate. The prizes are all awarded for achievement but not always for winning. There is also a simple rule that in general, competitors can only win one prize. The first race was sponsored by Gill Clothing and vouchers were presented to the 5th placed boat in each fleet. The second race was sponsored by Marlow who offered a new rope system to the top placed boats over 15 years old in each class. The last serious prizes of the evening were awarded by CraftInsure.com for the top boat under 15 years in each class. In addition to jackets and bags each of these boats will compete against each other at next year’s SGP to win boat insurance in the future.

Almost as keenly sought are the spot prizes given to those sailors mentioned in despatches. The spot prizes; hats and gloves from the Dinghy Store and goodies from Wet and Windy were distributed for remarkable vocal performances, feats of bravery and simple achievement. Virtually the entire javelin fleet were in humorous disgrace with the Race Team as they almost all were sporting a sail numbered 559, 529 or in one case… both! In true Fastsail spirit, they had a great excuse. Both 559 and 529 have recently bought new sails. In common with other classes, their old sails were leant to anyone who needed a better sail for the event. It has to be said that the other classes were more successful with their duck-tape adaptations to the numbers. Most of the Javelin numbers slid off in the downpour!

The final organised part of the evening was the Paper-boat competition which saw naval architects pitting their wits against six year old children in an attempt to build a paper boat capable of holding 100 pennies. The “sink off” final to establish the last boat floating was a noisy affair and eventually won by Mike Davis.

The SGP is both a serious and good humoured event, where real battles occur right through the fleet. The cream does rise to the top and the best sailors seem to consistently post good results. But further down the fleet, personal challenges become more significant. Aiming to be at the front of the start-line, completing all the races, being in the top 20 to the windward mark, beating the 505 which beat you at last year’s event, these factors make the event one that truly appeals to sailors of all abilities.

There is no doubt that right across the Fastsail classes there are some brilliant sailors. Hornet 2132 helmed by Strangler and crewed by Lou Asman destroyed the fleet in the fourth race. Perhaps it was Strangler defying the Hornet handicap that caused chaos but he steamed off leaving confusion in his wake. With the exception of the current Fireball world champion Dave Wade and current national champion, Rob Gardner sailing in 14809, none of the other top fireballs was placed better than 19th. A series of “keystone cop” antics at various marks as they all desperately struggled to catch up with the Hornet just made things worse. As the hornet crossed the line just behind Andy Williams / Charlie Walters in their 505 and three Flying Dutchman there were some rueful smiles from those scrambling after them and rather large grins from those who benefited. As Paul Jefferies, crewing in Jessica, a 1970s narrow fireball remembers,

“In race 4 we had a cracking start, got away with the leading group and didn't look back. We managed to (just) hold on to 3rd Fireball and were definitely helped by the huge pile ups at various marks behind us. For those that saw us after the race we had huge smiles. OK, so it came out that we were actually 18th in that race but to have the likes of Mark Maskell, Vince Horey and co finish behind you is a good feeling.”

Oscar Chess and Tony Rees in Osprey 1085 (almost an antique and a work of art on water) were pipped into second place in Race 5 by Sunday racers Wade / Gardner. It is a pity that Wade and Gardner were only able to take part in the second day’s racing as they posted a 3rd and two wins. Of those finishing in the Top 10 over both days, Richard Sims / Simon Ward (505) and Mike Pickles / Richard Fisher (Javelin) posted the most consistent results, both discarding a 16th place, whilst all the others discarded “disasters” – mostly from Race 4!

There were other notable results throughout the 6 races where crews got a great start, found the changeable weather conditions to their liking, met with good fortune or sailed particularly well. The “Grin factor” was in evidence from many sailors including the light air specialists, Katrin Deinhardt and Olav Schluter in Javelin 510 who showed many of those above them how to do it when the wind dropped, finishing 9th and 11th in Race 4 and 5. Terry Forbes and his son, Simon came 9th in Race 5 which brought them up to 26th place overall. Vicky Parry / Ben Stirrup (FD) and Ben Fisher / Ian Williams (Javelin) achieved top 20 finishes which belie their mid-forty overall results.

Melissa Heppell and Rebecca Marriot sailing in their first SGP, started quietly on the first day. Something happened overnight however. Whether it was an incredibly efficient team talk, a night in the bar (there is a rumour that they only drank lemonade unlike the rest of the fleet!) or simply rising confidence, on Sunday morning, according to Charlie Walters, 505 National Champion,
“They came roaring of the start line in each race, sailed 3 top class beats which put them right in the mix at the windward mark.”
Unfortunately, they roared a little too soon in the second of the day’s races and were black-flagged but came 4th and 12th in Race 4 and 6.

Prize giving after Day Two saw prizes awarded from Musto for achievement observed by Class Chairmen and Harken for the top mixed crews. There were also awards for those who came last in their class but completed every race. Yachts and Yachting gave Olympic Subscriptions to the Junior Competitors who “sailed out of their socks.” They all utterly disproved the theory that Fastsail boats are unsuitable for young sailors. Corin Westwes was the star of the despatches frightening the rescue crew by howling and hollering as his FD flew on one of the last spinnaker reaches of the event. The final prize of the event was the award of a Superspar mast and vouchers for two runners up, which was awarded to the top boat overall with an existing Superspar mast. It was won by the Olympian and former commodore of Rutland Water SC David Wilkins and his crew 17 year old William Hall sailing in a borrowed FD.

Club sailors who don’t often travel come to the SGP for the social occasion and the fact that there is someone to race against whatever their ability or the age of their boat. Aaron Lowe from Thornbury sailing club is typical,
“Hopefully everyone learned loads, in my case it was, if you want to split a fleet, capsize right in the middle of the start-line in the first race! We did have our own moment of glory – a perfect pin end start in race 3, when the rescue rib had to duck! We can’t wait for next year, we'll be there for sure!!”
Regulars on the Open circuit come to hone their racing skills, find out how they individually measure up against other good sailors and how the quality of their fleet rates against the other Fastsail classes. Semi-professional sailors come to represent their class both on and off the water, help and support less experienced sailors and ultimately, to win. Although the individual handicap competition was won by Vincent Horey and Vyv Townend and the Fireball fleet again won the Team Competition, the Symmetric Grand Prix is far more than the result of six races.

As Stan Cockeram, sailing with his wife Helen said “Well, that was just a great weekend - we can't stop grinning.”