| cvrda event June 23/24 2001 |
| Again we were blessed with just the best weather possible for the Bristol based cvrda event. Two days of sun with gentle, but blessedly steady winds allowed the BWSC race officers to run a range of racing, fun events and cruising over the weekend.
This was the third year that BWSC had run a cvrda event alongside their annual club regatta and this year the cvrda providing an especially good turn out of about 15 boats to get the event going with a swing. The weekend started off with an early morning cruise up the Avon, leaving Shirehampton at 8.15am and sailing with the last of the tide up the Avon Gorge and under Clifton Suspension Bridge arriving at the lock in time to sail through into Cumberland Basin. The wind was un-typically on the boats nose for the whole trip providing a fun, if rather slow beat up to Bristol. The boats only just made it through the lock against the turned tide…..and a large sigh of relief was given as everyone was through into Cumberland Basin. Saturday afternoon provided some close, in rather low wind, racing back on the Bristol Harbour. Sunday morning started with a fun race. After crossing a start line laid off the Cottage Pub, all boats had a short beat up to a buoy off Underfall Yard before a long run down the whole length of the harbour to the Arnolfini (local hostelry) at other end of harbour. At the Arnolfini, they had to moor up and send crew to buy an ice-cream before beating back to Baltic Wharf for the finish. Sunday afternoon saw two more races in Baltic Wharf Basin, run back to back. There was still rather low winds….but it was enough to keep everyone moving and provided some close racing. Results: Yes…..there were some…..<G>….but to be honest they have largely been lost in the mists of time! I know that races were won by John Gardiner (Graduate 307) and Chris Barlow (Merlin Rocket 507)……and that Andrew Thornhill was very fast on Saturday in his Firefly, faster still on Sunday in his beautiful Int 14 but only being rewarded by a 2nd once the handicap had been established (damn fast – those 14s). In the end it was between John Gardiner (and Lyn) in their Graduate and Chris Barlow in Merlin Rocket 507. When all the points were added up it came out as a draw and had to be split by the ‘best discard’ method ……Who had it? John Gardiner……just……so well done! But the best news for the cvrda was that John agreed to run nest year’s cvrda event on the river Avon at Saltford with his home club Bristol Avon Sailing Club. Great Stuff! ed |