A strong fleet of twelve for the Catapult European Championships had a characteristic warm welcome and hospitality from Bassenthwaite Sailing Club in their beautiful setting.

The club also put on uncharacteristic northerlies, shifting NNW, fresh and gusting for the first two days and dying away for Race Six on Monday. The sailing was in bursts of sunshine and a sunlit final day, and was decidedly bracing (with patches of snow on the high hills a few miles away)

The Club again put on their challenging courses, usually a "W" around the lake to give a mix of legs each lap, with the safety boat as flagship ahead. In three days' excellent racing, Paul Ellis gained an impressive set of first and seconds to wrap it up by the fifth race (results overall below) but had to work hard for it all the way.

The good-sized fleet showed how strong the racing has become with the boats spread over one or two legs only, and any mistakes were punished by significant places lost. (Almost every helm had a place at fourth or better, and had a six-place difference between best and worst results.)

The swinging wind direction each day, through thirty degrees, gave challenging lessons in concentrating and taking the bad luck with the good, dramatically demonstrated in the catspaws in the final race by Cliff Antill, leading around every mark. (Click for Race Reports)

Overall Results

Sailed:6, Discards:1, To count:5, Entries:12,

Rank	SailNo	Club	HelmName	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Total	Nett
1st	500	Marconi SC	Paul Ellis	(2.0)	2.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	2.0	9.0	7.0
2nd	510	Bala CC	George Evans	4.0	1.0	2.0	3.0	(7.0)	5.0	22.0	15.0
3rd	91	Filey SC	Gareth Ede	1.0	(DNF)	4.0	2.0	2.0	9.0	31.0	18.0
4th	531	Filey SC	Stuart Ede	3.0	(DNC)	3.0	6.0	3.0	3.0	31.0	18.0
5th	17	CCA	Cliff Antill	5.0	6.0	5.0	(7.0)	6.0	1.0	30.0	23.0
6th	518	CCA	Justin Evans	6.0	9.0	(11.0)	4.0	5.0	8.0	43.0	32.0
7th	513	CCA	Alastair Forrest	8.0	5.0	8.0	8.0	4.0	(10.0)	43.0	33.0
8th	522	CCA	Nigel Harrison	(DNC)	3.0	6.0	9.0	10.0	6.0	47.0	34.0
9th	51	CCA	Anthony Costall	9.0	7.0	7.0	5.0	8.0	(12.0)	48.0	36.0
10th	2090	Aquarius SC	Dave Jennings	7.0	4.0	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	7.0	57.0	44.0
11th	512	CCA	Neal Graneau	(11.0)	10.0	10.0	11.0	9.0	4.0	55.0	44.0
12th	297	Catapult Assoc	Chris Phillips	10.0	8.0	9.0	10.0	(11.0)	11.0	59.0	48.0

   Above: Paul Ellis (500)  leads off in Race 1, towards a good series win at Bass 

BASS 2010: THE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE            Nigel Harrison

Driving over the A66 towards Bassenthwaite I was worried by the forecast of cold northerly winds and would people bring their DJ’s?

Arriving at the site I was welcomed by Jo and Cliff offering hospitality and wine. Dave and Paul had their boats ready already. Joining Stuart in the Sun Inn Neal found us out before closing time. Phone calls from Barbara and Chris stuck in traffic. Justin and Sarah would also be arriving late. Gareth was Night Mountain biking as usual. Tony and family arrived with their luxury caravan.  aturday morning held a fresh (bloody freezing) wind. Cool Alastair breezed in and dark horse George arrived with Van and entourage. The twelve Catapults were ready for battle.

(Above: Stuart Ede has control of the tight chasing pack.)

Looking over the lake we sat listening to Stuart give an excellent training session on; -Starting  - Sailing fast - How to win Unfortunately Tony was there. In the first race I had a good start but lasted only 50 meters over the line before my forestay (Dynema) snapped. Thanks to the safety boat I was towed back to base and re-joined the fight ready for the next race.    (Left: Nigel hopes George won't be there when he next looks back.)

My new mast was working well and I managed a third in the next race, behind George and Paul. I cannot remember what happened in the last race except that Tony used his new found knowledge of the rules to “Starboard” me and I lost at least two places to him.

BUT the amazing thing is that the fleet so close. Overtaking action continuous and guaranteed and the whole fleet usual with two marks of each other. Tony and George the most improved sailors. Mixing it with the usual suspects.

Saturday night the sailing club members were impressed by 20 Catapulters and glamorous WAGs emerging from tents and Vans in full DJ’s. Canapés, drinks three course meal and quiz later we retired to bed. Sunday saw some wonderful racing, evening in the Wheatsheaf and more fun on the Lake. Monday saw less wind and crazy gusts taking parts of the fleet from last to first with no intention on their part! What a great weekend! Congratulations to Paul for rising like cream to the top. My first prize goes to Tony for some great results, second to George for second in the Europeans, third to Stuart for driving back to Filey to replace his broken boom and joint third to Chris for becoming a drinking legend at the Bassenthwaite bar. A great weekend! Nigel (Right: Paul focuses on crushing the hopes and dreams of  the opposition)