Written by:craig
03/08/2010 23:06 

Arriving early on the Friday afternoon a flat and calm North Wales looked far from the expected chop expected. The stronger winds and swell hadn’t materialised, and the wind farm was still in the distance. With the speed seen from Bladerun in Edinburgh, particularly Blue Sheets 1 were looking forward to their more favourable choppy conditions where team work and driving are more important than outright speed.

The beach though was a welcome return after successive river and dock races previously, and a busy looking beach front with fair attracting plenty of spectators to the waterfront. Pontins offered great amusement, and settled all the teams down for the weekend, whilst unsettling others!

Saturday started with the announcement that due to the shallowness of the beach, and numbers of sandbars the possibility of beach starts had all bar gone, due to the possibility of grounding the boats as the tide went out. Blue Sheets 1 and 2 were sporting their new and very comfortable Gill wetsuits for the day as although the weather was overcast the temperature was still very mild.

The course consisted of deep water starts running into the beach, followed by a double ‘M’ along parallel to the beach between the two outgoing groynes with an advantage pit lap missing out the ‘M’ section. The numerous small sandbanks and waves coming into the beach on the angle with the groins mixing it up meant although it was relatively flat conditions the teams all had to stay on their toes.

Blue Sheets 1 were challenging Bladerun with pace at the front of division 1 and both speedy hire and Seavacation were also performing well.  Blue Sheets 2 Dan and Baz were struggling with their set up a little, but still mixing it with in the middle of division 1 and steadily finding their rhythm as the day went on, while in division 2 Nial and Aaron were finding their feet as a team, and were also improving steadily as the day went on, although the forced changing of prop guards due to breakages caused a lack of performance they were looking for.

The day was tiring for all the teams, whilst the sea was slight the continual moving of boats down the beach and over the sand bars as the tide receded was exhausting. Blue Sheets 1 narrowly missed out on poll to Bladerun who had gained 1 more win during the heats with Blue Sheets 2 sitting in the middle of the pack struggling to hit the speed they had in Edinburgh, but still looking to mix it up.

Blue Sheets 2 made it into the division 2 final where they were looking to climb places. Blue Sheets 1 knew they had to make their move on the start line to try and get past Bladerun into the first mark.  The run into the beach allowed the possibility to shut the door and push them into the course if a good start was made, forcing them to tuck in behind in the dirty water.

The start was good, and Blue Sheets made their move forcing Bladerun back into the pack. Bladerun were proving quicker at accelerating out of the inner ‘M’ section, while Blue Sheets were quicker through the corners making for a close and exciting final as the boats were closing and gaining water all the way around the course, with both teams looking at the other to make a forced mistake. Blue Sheets 1 just held off the attack from Bladerun to take the days racing, with another strong performance from Delta Jets to take third. Seavacation just missed out on a podium position with another good steady days racing from the rookie leaders Jack and Nick.

Finally on Sunday the wind had began to pick up, and so did the swell, and created very challenging race conditions to really test the teams, and mix the racing up. This fell into Blue Sheets 1’s hands and was the types of conditions that they had missed in the previous two events on flat water.

The day’s course this time consisted of the traditional box course with a single ‘M’ on the inshore leg and a disadvantage pit lap out to sea which was a critical part of the race as the severity of the chop was causing a lot of boats to stuff the nose and loose their speed.

Completing a successful pit lap was creating a huge advantage during a race with boats being able to capitalise on mistakes and gain two or three places. The first couple of division one heats showed the possibility of mixing the racing up a little with Speedy Hire, and Seavacation both putting in very respectable performances, and Blue Sheets 1 picking up a third, and Bladerun a fourth.

The conditions out the back were becoming worse, and with the waves coming into the course on the angle, the races were taking many different lines to try and get the best runs from mark to mark, providing a great spectacle for all the viewers on the beach that were watching.

Blue Sheets 3 had found their pace, and were looking very comfortable with some great driving from Nial, and co-piloting from Aaron who, although is small, doesn’t mind putting his weight about in the boat, and was very affective. Dan and Baz were also having more success on the second day performing strongly in the choppier water in the middle of division 1.

The extended pit lap was becoming crucial to Blue Sheets 1 during the heats with poor starts, and struggling to find the best line into the first mark, was proving invaluable to get clean water and gain positions on the rest of the pack to take heat wins.

Bladerun who often struggle in the choppier water were also finding their feet and were matching Blue Sheets victories throughout the day. Blue Sheets however showed their dominance by taking poll for the Sunday’s racing knowing that holding the inside line and a good start would hopefully secure a win with clean water providing a slight advantage.

The division 2 final started in style with boat 35 team relentless catching huge air into the wind off the line, loosing his co-pilot but somehow keeping the boat upright. Off the restart Nial, and Aaron on Blue Sheets 3 showed their days dominance with a comfortable victory, with Scaredy Cat coming in a deserved second after engine problems all day, and boat 100 third.

The division 1 final was looking exciting with Speedy Hire showing some good heat results, and  Seavacation also performing well in the chop. Blue Sheets got off to a good start holding the inside line, with Speedy Hire tucked up behind, and Bladerun behind them. Blue Sheets 1 opted to leave their pit lap to the last lap as they attempted to keep to the clean water, and tried to keep the boat level in the increasingly difficult conditions.

Bladerun however opted to try and make places up by taking a tactical early pit lap, but got caught up behind Blue Sheets 2 in the middle of the pack who were not going to be pushed aside easily and put up a great battle before their pit lap buying Blue Sheets 1 in front valuable breathing space from Bladerun who were now on the charge.

Speedy however were also having a very good race and it came down to the final back straight with Speedy coming off their pit lap, and Bladerun along the back where Speedy looked to have the second place bar a bad swell causing them to stuff into a wave and almost completely submarine.
 
Bladerun just edged into second, forcing Speedy into a disappointing third after a strong days racing.

Blue Sheets showed a convincing win, and were very happy to take the weekends Grand Prix, after missing out in Edinburgh on heat wins. Seavacation came fourth again with a solid weekends racing, and a team that is beginning to show its strengths in the series still comfortably leading the rookie championship.

The weekends racing was very successful, a great spectator venue, with large crowds being drawn to watch the action take place. Pontin’s provided great hospitality over the weekend, and organisation to accommodate the racing along the promenade.
 
The Gill wetsuits worn by both Blue sheets 1 and 3 proved very successful keeping the teams both warm and allowing more freedom of movement with the comfortable fit than the looser dry suits for moving around in the boat, and will definitely be used again for the beach venues.

So with a great win for both Blue Sheets 1 and 3 in division 1 and 2 on Sunday, and Blue Sheets 1 also taking victory in division 1 on Saturday and the overall Grand Prix win for the weekend, it was a very successful weekends racing with Blue Sheets maintaining the team championship, and Blue Sheets 1 also still leading the National Championship.

The next venue is down to the South of Wales to Barry Island which hosted a great weekends racing last year offering a steady swell, and great beach for beach starts to offer something a little different from Prestatyn.

See you in Barry.

Rob Martin – Co-Pilot: Blue Sheets 1

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