Trent Valley September open meeting

 

Trent Valley Double Open (Vintage & 4 Plank plus DB/AC event) Sunday 13^th September 2009

The day dawned bright, sunny and (most unusually for recent TVSC meetings) breezy – however the wind was from the north, totally the wrong direction for racing at Trent Lock. There was a reasonable breeze at the top and bottom of the course, but in the middle section with tall trees to the north of the river (the “Doldrums”); the wind was erratic – frustrating for all competitors.  And some of the less fit sailors who had partaken of the five races at Olton the day before (and some who had also been at the hog roast) were going to struggle – whatever the wind direction!

We were very lucky to have the race management skills of Mike Haynes who has been race officer for a number of national and international sailing events – and after his inspirational briefing he proceeded to set a totally unique start line in front of the clubhouse (start line one to the off bank finishing post), perfect for the very unusual wind direction!

Admirals Cup and Double Bottom boats – notes from Graham Camm

Race 1 - Graham & Zoë were hot off the blocks taking the inside line off the start. However the lead didn’t last long as the fleet caught a gust from behind and piled up in the Doldrums. Dave Peacock & Trisha Wood found the best wind near the bank and took the lead. Steve & Jack Louden looked good for a moment as the wind filled in the middle of the river but Graham & Zoë sniddled through on a lucky gust to emerge first out of the Doldrums. They held their lead for the remaining 2 laps.

Race 2 - Graham & Zoë were again hot off the blocks, however Chris Day & Sophie Richards made a bid for the lead in the Doldrums with their private Zephyr. But it was Dave & Trisha again taking the inside line who came out of the Doldrums first. The leaders battled for the next lap until the second encounter with the Doldrums where Dave & Trisha found a hole letting Graham & Zoë through to take the race.

Race 3 - Chris & Sophie made the best start pushing Dave & Trisha over the line. The leading pack including Graham & Zoë and David & Liam Borrett jostled on the long run up river. Graham & Zoë pulled through during a luffing match at the leeward mark. Gerald & Nicholas Copsey worked hard and pulled through to second.

Graham & Zoe won the event convincingly with three wins with Dave Peacock and Tricia Wood just pipping Gerald and Nick Copsey to 2^nd.

 

Vintage & 4 Plank – notes from Paul Turner

Race 1 – Paul with Andrea Murphy had a flying start which they held on to through the Doldrums but their big lead was slowly eroded by Tom White and Maria Gidley who overtook them by the end of the first lap; Paul and Murph caught up on the second beat down the river (even overtaking several AC/DBs in the process) but the loss of Dolly’s mainsheet pulley meant that Tom romped away to take the gun; Ben and Josh Richardson managing a creditable 3^rd in Mr Jones.

Race 2 – A general recall put paid to Tom and Paul’s flying start and at the re-start Paul managed fill up on the start and ended up last. Tom roared off into the distance leaving the rest of the fleet to battle with each other and the vagaries of the doldrums; Kevin Rose & Jemima Dixey, beating Phillip David & Nick Copsey to 2^nd.

Race 3 – Tom got another great start with Paul & Murph again stretching out a decent 2^nd place until Brian Herring, Phillip David and Kevin Rose (and briefly High & Alison Ambery in Starfish) sailed straight past them in the Doldrums on the second lap. Whist Brian and Phillip battled it out all the way round lap 2 (Brian triumphing , but only just), Paul slowly hauled in Kevin to pass him nearing the club, beating him by feet at the finish line for a fourth place – this was to prove crucial in the final results.

Tom & Maria headed the prize list with three wins as first 4 planker, but there were three vintage boats (all China Dolls) with 6 points; OOD Mike’s expert knowledge of the rules on count back instantly sorted the result into Paul, Brian and Phillip in that order (no money changed hands!)

The results were as follows:

AC/DB

1.       3157 Graham Camm & Zoe Ballantye

2.       3524 Dave Peacock & Tricia Wood

3.       3411 Gerald & Nick Copsey

4.       3377 Christian Day & Sophie Richards

5.       3502 Steve & Jack Louden

6.       3412 Chris Troth & Rebecca Butler

7.       3102 Dave & Liam Borrett

8.       3271 Brain Cobb & Ros Nichols

9.       3192 Peter & Oscar Terry

10.   3458 Martin & Matthew Clarke

 

Vintage/4 Plank

 

1.       2765 Tom White & Maria Gidley

2.       2487 Paul Turner & Andrea Murphy

3.       2468 Brian Herring & Roz Stevenson

4.       2545 Philip David & Anthony Copsey

5.       2947 Kevin Rose & Hanna Butler

6.       2399 Ben & Josh Richardson

7.       2020 Hugh & Alison Ambery

 

This was the last meeting for the MAAT series; the full details of the results, clubs and boat designs are posted elsewhere under “Events & Results – Midlands”.

 

Special mentions: Welcome back to N12 sailing after many years away for Hugh & Alison Ambery who sailed Starfish N2020 – great to see Mike & Ann Nokes (Mike demanding to know why Shotgun N2359 hadn’t been restored yet) – Ben Richardson & his son Josh who bravely yotted in leaking Mr Jones (Ben received a bottle of very tasteful Liebfraumilch for his spectacular back flip (with added tiller extension) out of Mr Jones in race 2) – Peter Ferguson, who couldn’t sail as he had converted N3222 from an N12 into a flying boat the previous day on his return journey from Olton Mere by forgetting to attach his launching trolley to the trailer and wondered why it took off on the M42 (there must be easier ways to remove bilge keels than the use of motorway tarmac at 70 mph?) – Tom White for scaring everyone with the speed of his immaculately restored 4 plank China Doll originally built by TVSC’s Ken Goddard from a kit back in 1974 - Graham and Zoe for venturing out in N3157 Perfect Kiss (and then baffling her owner by assuring him that the underwater lines/ free board/ aft wave etc are very similar to Dead Cat Bounce and the addition of wings to the rudder would ensure a Burton win next year!- Paul Turner for supplying four of the seventeen boats – Mike Haynes for doing a brilliant job as race officer aided and abetted by Roger and Ann Britton, Sam & Rachael, Fergy, Helen and Brian – and finally many thanks to Ken Goddard who had put so much time into arranging the event but wasn’t able to be there because of family illness; we all sent our best wishes and love to Jean.