2006 Inland Championship, Northampton, Great Britain

30 September/1 October

A weekend of contrasts was ahead for the 26 OK sailors that assembled at Northampton Sailing Club for the 2006 Inland Championships. Excellent hospitality and slick race management was combined with everything from hot sunshine and drifter conditions to a 30 knot squall with hail.

Defending champion Terry Curtis got off to a good start winning race 1 by a substantial margin in 10 to 15 knots. Robert Deaves spent most of the race in second but lost it to Mike Edwards on the final tack to the finish line. After lunch the fleet set sail again under a large black cloud. Sure enough, a few minutes later balls of spray were flying round the lake in 30 knots of wind and hail. The race officer wisely waiting for the wind to abate and then started race 2 in about 10 knots. A gradually shifting wind meant a shortened course after one lap with Mike Edwards taking the win from Tony Thresher and Curtis. The final race of the day was started in just a few knots of shifty wind with little margin for overtaking. Alex Scoles got the best of the start to round first and extend to win by three minutes. Andrew Day sailed well to hold on for second, just ahead of Curtis. Overnight Edwards held a slim lead.

Sunday dawned bright and breezy with excellent prospects for good racing. Terry Curtis showed everyone why he was the defending champion, winning all three races in the 10-15 knot winds. Race 4 nearly went to Simon Childs. After leading most of the way he capsized on the final gybe to let three boats through. Race 5 was a battle between Curtis, Scoles and Deaves with very close tactical racing upwind on the short figure of eight course. The final race proved to be the best with a much longer beat and better reaches which Curtis won easily. Ian Harris finally found some of his old form to hold on to second with Jon Fish losing his hard fought for third place on the finish line to Tony Thresher.