TVSC open meeting

 

The first of this season’s Midland Area National Twelve Open Meetings, at Trent Valley S.C. on May 10, was supported by no less than 19 boats. This is believed to be the highest non-Gill, non-‘Week’ attendance in the Class for a number of season’s. This fleet comprised 4 ‘double-bottom’ boats and 15 Admiral’s Cup boats, the latter no doubt attracted by the award of a new trophy for AC boats, the Trease Tankard.

 

 

Despite the very strong winds of the previous week, Sunday morning started completely windless. After a half-hour delay, Race Officer Ken Goddard gambled on a sustainable breeze picking up and got the fleet away on a short course in the lower reaches of the river. The fleet was split into 4 flights and two heats per race. The wind direction led to a downstream start and a bit of a pile-up at the downstream mark. First to extricate herself in Heat 1 was Sue Jones in N.3263, followed by John Sears (N.2957) and David Peacock (N.3518). However Sue was unable to hold her lead and the finishing order was the above three in reverse order. In Heat 2, one of the oldest boats, N.2765 (Tom White), and N.3217 (Philip David) got away well and finished in that order. N.3411 (Gerald Copsey) was third.

In Race 2, with the Heats containing different flights, the leader of Heat 1 throughout was Gerald Copsey, with John Sears creeping ahead of Chris Day (N.3377) in the final lap. In Heat 2, David Peacock held the lead throughout, with Philip David pulling up to second and Andy Prior (N.3465) in third place.

 

 

In the final race, with the wind still very slight and in the same direction, the Race Officer changed to an upstream, running start. This might have worked well but a large double-width barge also decided to go for the mark as well. Some boats extricated themselves from this situation rather better than others, one of them being David Peacock, who scored another win in Heat 1. Second in this Heat was Gerald Copsey and third, Tom White. In Heat 2, John Sears won this comfortably from Philip David and Chris Day.

 

Overall results

 
1st + Trent Valley Challenge Trophy – David Peacock & Kai Loudon, N.3518  (Paradigm 2)
2nd  and Trease Tankard for Admirals Cup Boats – Gerald & Tanya Copsey, N.3411 (Baggy Trousers)                                                                                                
3rd and runner-up for the Tankard – John & Mark Sears, N.2957 (Pipedream)
4th Tom White & Maria Gidley, N.2765 (China Doll)

5th Philip David & Anthony Copsey, N.3217 (Baggy Trousers)