The third stop of the 2022 Hurricane 5.9 SX circuit was a visit to the Royal Yorkshire Yacht Club in Bridlington. The fleet were greeted on the Saturday morning with glorious sunshine and a cross onshore force 4. With Sundays forecast looking much windier and squally the call was made to run 4 races back to back on the Saturday.
Race 1 got underway and it was Julian Reichert & Jeremy Sandford from Thorpe Bay YC who started well off the pin end and got to the top mark first. They were followed round by John Ready & Will Power from Dabchicks SC and then a tight mid fleet. With close racing from places 3 to 10, the front two got away and Julian & Jeremy took the win from John & Will and Richie Hanmore & Matt Kimber from Stone SC taking third.
Race 2 was a little closer, this time John & Will sneaking ahead off the start and being chased by Jeremy & Julian. George & Howard Warrington from Thorpe Bay Yacht Club got the best of the rest taking third from Richie and Matt.
Race 3 was more of the same fast powered racing with some fun waves to play with downwind. The top two were joined by Trevor Bawden & Jack Tindale from Stone SC who had suffered a broken spinnaker pole in race 1 but managed a fast pitstop to get back out for race 3 despite the race officers amazingly fast turn around between races! It was John & Will who won making it two wins in a row.
Race 4 was started as the wind died down. Heading off the start, the 4 boats who went inshore then benefited from a 90 degree windshift with locals Kev Porter & Ian Sanderson reaching in to the top mark followed by Trevor & Jack, Richie & Matt and Ben & Kez Cutler-Sharp all within a few boat lengths at full speed, spinnakers up, surfing the swell into the leeward gate. The wind kept shifting round making the course unsailable and so the Race Officer made a great call to restart it. The second race 4 got underway with a gusty offshore breeze and Trevor & Jack enjoying a close battle with Jeremy & Julian followed by Richie & Matt, Ben & Kez and Howard & George trading places throughout all three laps.
Saturday night brought a well needed BBQ, drinks and disco/karaoke to bring respite to some very tired bodies! Sunday dawned and with a few hefty squalls coming through, the sensible and correct decision to abandon racing was made. Despite the long distance travelled, Saturdays sailing more than made up for it and a great time was had by all old, new and returning members of the Hurricane family.
The last event of the year is coming up with the fleet heading to Stone SC for the 2023 nationals on the 19th/20th and 21st of August
