Whittlesey - 2007
Whittlesey was the host of both National
and European rounds his year. The weather was extreme and
the racing fast and furious.
Bob Beech casts a knowing eye over the
procedings.
To say that this meeting was eventful, may be an
understatement. But, if you didn't come, you really missed
out. OK, you may not have got the broken ankle, dislocated
shoulder or any of the numerous bruises, but you will have
missed some really exciting racing.
...depositing drivers all over the place.
Saturday was the day full of mishaps. This was caused by a very strong - I suspect Force 6 - wind sweeping down the length of the lake. This resulted in a lot of plough-ins and in the worst cases the drivers being ejected and in some of the lesser cases the craft careering into the reeds. And the wind in this direction meant that it was also head on to the craft as they went along the faster part of the land section. So a lot of craft taking off and depositing drivers all over the place. Eight red flags in all and racing finishing at 18.55 and that without stopping for the first paddock open. A very long day, especially for the marshals. On Sunday the wind had veered ninety degrees and dropped just a little making it easier for the drivers.The first casualty on the Saturday was the craft of Tristan Rhodes (118), which during practice, came to halt on the water when his fan frame broke into three sepaarate pieces mangling blades, belt and duct. End of the weekend for him. Keith Burchfield (88) came off better. Well only just. He ploughed and rolled his 503 craft but at the least he was able to dry it out and continue with the weekend.
In the first race for the FS craft, Chris Barlow (17) set the pace, chased very closely by Alain Larribe (217). At the end of Lap 6 Chris spun just before leaving the lake and Alain collided with him so that both ended up in the catch netting in front of race control. Chris was away again first but Alain was overtaken by Patrick Godicheau (231). But two laps later Chris ploughed in heavily going onto the lake, the craft went sideways and spat him out. He was alright and able to get back into the craft and restart it but a red flag had already been called resulting in him losing valuable points and his grid position for the next race. Chris and Alain also clashed in the last FS race. On the last lap they were neck and neck about to come off the lake but both got lapping Jaroslav Balaz (611) wrong and again tangled with the catch netting in front of race control. They wrestled their craft round and dragged for the line and although I was very close, I could not determine who had won and waited for the decision from race control. This catch netting also featured in the first FS race on Sunday which provided the only red flag of that day. Michael Heinze (334) got it wrong coming off the water and ended in the netting and needed medical attention when hit by the craft of Andrew Steizhammer (331). Although it looked very nasty Michael suffered no more than bruising.
The first Novice race lasted into the third lap when Sue Folland (111) ploughed in at the lower end of the lake and was thrown in the water. She was obviously in distress resulting in several marshals jumping in to help. Regrettably she broke her ankle and ended up for two days in hospital and having to have an operation. The re-run later included Ian Richardson (56) driving Sue and Tony Goldney's craft. Not a novice and he soon showed that he was enjoying himself. Sue and Tony however, were oohing and aahing near me as Ian repeatedly put the craft on its side coming off the lake and then getting the craft completely airbourne on one occasion going up the land straight. Was this the reason why he did not appear again in Novices? Setting the tone for the weekend, the real winner of the race was Colin Hales (210) showing that a well driven and stable F35 can out pace even Formula One craft. Yes - F1 craft are allowed in Novices in the European races. He quite rightly deserved the Novice trophy for the weekend.
...F503 really produced some good racing...
F503. You guessed it. Red flags. This time Jonathan Tall (112) was the subject of attention from the medics in the first race. Flipped the craft at the end of the long straight and rolled down into the water. Luckily not too badly hurt but the craft did not survive to race again. In the re-run, it was Dave Elston (113), driving the same craft that Sue Folland had come to grief in in Novices, who went flying while going into the wind. He was thrown out and although initially he got up to run off the course he then went down. Red flag and medics again. As time was getting on this race was then abandoned but Dave Elston (113), having practiced his crashing skills really perfected them in the second race when he managed to dislocate his shoulder. End of racing for him for the weekend. Shame about all the red flags as F503 really produced some good racing between Steve Walsh (78) the overall winner, Mark Talbot (70), Team Ivanoff (529) and Team CD (100). Steve was mostly way out in the lead but in the last race I am sure that Mark Talbot thought he was going to win. He led for most of the race seemingly continually looking over his shoulder for Steve. Then on the last lap Mark went just a little too wide on the lake and Steve was through. Oh dear! Better luck another time Mark.
Juniors. The first race went full distance and was won by Rhian Black (20) with her 503 powered Storm. But the race was not without incident. Half way up the start straight on his sixth lap, Sweden's Filip Hall (538) blew his thrust fan in a rather spectacular way. Rhian then went on to win her next two races but stopping on the lake at the end of lap 1 of the last race she lost the winners trophy for the weekend to Laura Broad (133) who otherwise had consistently finished in second. The last race might have been poorly supported but for Barry Staples allowing Jessica Lucas (145) to use "Old Scrapper" and Ian Finch allowing Broni Black (11) to use his TZR powered Eagle as the B & S in her own craft had mangled a camshaft. Broni did well too, finishing in second place. And welcome to new driver Hannah Deacon (16) in her brand new Deacon Special. And what a lovely colour of craft - pink - to match her racing suit and gazebo. The craft went very well and Hannah seemed to be doing very well as well until the last race when she disappeared into the trees at the end of the straight. A few dents were obvious when the craft was returned to the paddock but nothing so serious that a good carpenter cannot sort out before Blackditch.
...his craft looking as though it had been deliberately thatched.
The Europeans don't do F3 so the racing was left to the Brits. Team Older and Bolder (144) driven by Ian Richardson won every race with Tony Broad (133) consistently second. And who finished in third? Fred Wilson (160). Well done Fred and he saying that Keith Oakley had identified that the engine was not producing full power. Watch out next season, then we may see Fred on the podium more often. Mind you, I did spot Fred having a detour into the reeds in one race and ending up with his craft looking as though it had been deliberately thatched.F2 produced some good racing and also a fair share of red flags. Jamie Lewendon (36) had a very spectacular lift on the straight with the craft continuing over backwards throwing Jamie out. But worse for Les Bran (32) in the rerun when he crashed going onto the lake. He ended up with his foot in plaster and being pampered with a chair to sit on wherever he went. Anyway, his effort did not go unrewarded as his team driver Rupert Baker went on to win the National weekend and come second in the European. Very interestingly though, four strokes were very competitive including those of Cobra Team (417) and Frank Craemers (718). It was the Cobra Team that came out the winner in the European section. Several craft looked very much like the Team Goldney (50) set up although there was a mix of engine, shaft drive and hydraulic drive to the lift fan. Scott Tilley (39) was always in the reckoning but just couldn't quite make it, finishing second and third in the Nationals and European respectively.
F1 was, I believe, the only formula to escape the red flags. And what a tremendous display of very fast racing. During some of the racing I was stood with the marshals at the end of the long straight and we were speculating as to the speed of the F1 before they turned to go onto the water. We reckoned on over 70 mph and in very close company with other craft too. World Champion Paul Hibbard (16) showed why he has that title with three out of four wins. The other win was taken by the National F1 Champion Dan Turnbull (1). But really the racing was about the top four places in all the races. Race 1 was a good example with Paul off to a good start followed by Michele Scanavino (901), Magnus Ivanoff (501) and Dan Turnbull in hot pursuit in that order. Lap 7 and Michele dropped out to rejoin later to finish the race low down the order. Lap 7 Dan got past Magnus so the finish was Paul, Dan then Magnus. Race 2 saw Paul and Dan in that order leading the race from start to finish but Michele and Magnus were nip and tuck all the race. Michele got up to third place on lap 7 only to lose out to Magnus next time round. It was still very close as they got to race control at the end of lap 9 only for Michele's thrust fan to explode very dramatically as he crossed the start/finish line. Race 3 was Dan Turnbull's time to win after very close racing with Michele when the latter ended up in the catch netting. But race 4, or the final if you like, left everyone gasping. The four drivers were in close company, the order being Paul, Michele, Dan and then Magnus. It stayed like that until the end of lap 9 when on the far side of the lake Dan was seen to be setting up an overtaking move on Michele. I think Michele realised this and tried to adjust his line going round the end bouy but got very slightly out of shape and that was enough for Dan. He was able to close on Michele and then take him while rounding the next bouy. Great move, well planned.
I am sure that there were other moments that I have not described, but hopefully I have given some sense of the excitement of the meeting and made you wish you had been there. The weather was good as well being dry during the day but with rain overnight to help keep down the notorious Whittlesey dust. And so we now have a bit of a break before we meet up in Somerset for some of the famous local brew. See you there.
Bob Beech.
[All photos by kind permission of Paul and Rebecca Taylor of www.hovercraftvideo.co.uk]