Sunday May 13th dawned clear, sunny and with a good breeze for the Trent Valley SC Twelve's' Open meeting - this year held at Nottingham SC due to access problems caused by Foot & Mouth restrictions.

In the first race, Mike Cooke and Alison Martin continued their form from the previous day's sailing to take an early lead in their Feeling Foolish. On the second lap Cooke lost the lead to Graham Camm crewed by Clare Horwood, who did not look back and won the race from Cooke and Jon Whitehead.

After a short postponement (due to a request from the river police to move the course away from a dredger working at the mouth of the marina), the second race got under way. Graham Camm, who had opted to sail his Freak Out rather than his new and race unproven Too Foolish, powered his way to the front once again. Behind him were Jon & James Whitehead in their nine month old Feeling Foolish, then John Sears with Lydia Wood in their considerably older Pipedream. The top three held these places until Graham Camm was overtaken by the Whiteheads at the halfway mark. Line honours were taken by Whitehead, with Camm in second place and Sears in third.

With batteries re-charged by a well-earned lunch (expertly provided by the multi-talented Stewart Miatt), the third race began with all to play for. Mike Cooke, Jon Whitehead and Graham Camm all had a chance for the trophy. From the off, Whitehead stamped his authority on the race and led throughout. Behind him, Cooke tussled with Camm for second place and both pulled away from the evergreen John Sears to finish second and third respectively. This left the Whiteheads triumphant, returning to Cheshire with the coveted Trent Valley Challenge Trophy, won in the past by a sailing list of Who's Who.

Final Results:
1st Jon and James Whitehead N3458 (Feeling Foolish);
2nd Graham Camm and Clare Horwood N3378 (Freak Out);
3rd Mike Cooke and Alison Martin N3419 (Feeling Foolish)

Stewart Miatt
May 2001