22-2-09
With speed sailing in mind. 4boards have created a page especialy for speed and slalom kit thats on special deals. From Falcons to Mantas it's worth checking out. Thanks to Bob for his efforts.
West Kirby USM - Sunday 8th of March 2009
West Kirbys first USM of 2009 saw a day of two halves. The morning session dawned with a tight wsw windflow blowing in over the course 15-25kts. The afternoon saw skies clear and a solid westerly flow blowing in at 25kts with gusts to 30kts.
The Gathering:
Many speedies from all over the UK met up on what was to be the last session before the lake closure the following day for four months, for necessary wall refurb and lake dredging.
The competition was hot, hot enough for most to forget the chill in the air and enjoy the glass of the speed strip. Farrel O'Shea, John Smalley and Steve Thorp fighting it out at the sharp end, for top spot of the day. The rest of the chasing pack meanwhile, laying down some impressive speeds, with a bag full of personal bests (pb)
Ian Richards (pictured above) scoring a super pb with a peak speed of 41.67 knots and 10s avg score of 39.42 knots, pretty good going for his first session at West Kirby. The list of pbs was truly impressive with the following sailors all achieving new records - congrats!
Will Trossell, Graham Clegg, Mark Bailey, Tris Haskins, Duncan Adam, Rob Morgan, Jack Bailey
The GPS Speed Ladder would not be possible without the support of the sponsors - thanks guys
4boards.co.uk, Reactive Watersports, RIKS, Solent Sailboards, Westcountry Watersports, Windtek.
Pictures courtesy of Steve Thorp
Ranking of the day
West Kirby USM - Saturday 14th of March 2009
Fridays' forecast for Saturday had pepped up somewhat from that issued the previous day. A solid westerly was forecast F6-F8. By lunchtime Friday the forecast had backed off to F5-F7, with a further slide to F6 by teatime.
With the lake not being drained until Sunday, word was out, and the USM was on.
Early risers, Adam Gustafsson and Paul Simmons had made the trip up from the south west, and were rigged and ready to rock not long after first light, greeted to a stiff westerly up around 30kts on arrival. Pete Davis adding to the south coast contingent mid morning.
The wind backed off to 20kts before anyone hit the water. The morning session, a mix of 15-20kts with the odd burst to 25, made for some close competition with sailors pushing for the first 40 of the day. With no real juice in the wind, and the course peppered with 15kt lulls, solid 10s avgs were hard to come by. The Carbon Arts ridden by O'Shea and Gustafsson coming the closest with high 39 peaks, and very closely matched on the 10s runs, Farrel just edging out the Kernow King with a 37.87 10s avg, topped by a 39.51 10s max.
The high tide fast approaching, and the inevitable lunchtime breach, saw the wind back off to a poor force 4.
The two hour break done, the tide back in the estuary, the lake brim full ....... but the wind never came back.
Mark Hayford (pictured above) notching up the only pb of the day with a respectable 500 just over 35kts, excellent given the mediocre conditions.
Top run of the day was Farrel's 38.79 500.
A four month break now. West Kirby will be back tho' - back better than ever.
The GPS Speed Ladder would not be possible without the support of the sponsors - thanks guys
4boards.co.uk, Reactive Watersports, RIKS, Solent Sailboards, Westcountry Watersports, Windtek.
Ranking of the day