Mike C and Jimmy Whitehead made their way down to sunny Northampton on
Saturday to have a bit of handicap racing (mike needed a break from
boatbuilding). Just over one hundred boats made the journey, traveling from
all sorts of glam locations, including just down the road.
The fleets were split depending on Asymmetric, 2 hander and singlehanders,
and with 2 races and both to count.

For once Mike was somewhere near the start line, and at the right end, so
the end of the first beat saw him ahead of the F15's and all of the Gp's and
Ents. The first reach saw them catch up with Alan Bax (in Tom Stewarts
Merlin), and the second reach saw them plane over the top of them (sorry
Alan) but after that they hoisted the spinnaker on the run and disappeared
leaving Mike to play with the F15's for a bit before they too got away. A
couple of laps in saw the breeze really kick in (it was just windy before
then) and Mike wiping out at the gibe mark, and being unable to right the
boat during a squall, this saw the leading Ents go past and being the last
lap didn't give much of an opportunity to get back again. Mike and Jimmy
finished 16th in that race.

Twas now time for a spot of grub, and entertainment provided by the
Asymetric fleet, which saw some spectacular wipeouts from the 49er, and an
RS K6 in the hands of Greg O'Brien going across the lake on its side with
the spinnaker up...

The second race was postponed a little while to let the large amount of
breeze die down a bit, which it didn't, until Mike and Jimmy decided to get
changed and go to the bar - When they came out of the changing rooms it had
all reverted back to normal... Doh!

Oh well - The Two hander fleet was won by the Fireball of Kevin Hope, a
fellow Notts County sailor, beating the rest of the Fireball fleet,
including Ian Pinnell, Dave Wade, Richard Estaugh and Vince Horey (current
National champ) Good skills mate...

Mike and Jimmy were 24th overall in the two handed fleet, despite a DNS
Only other 12 about was Steve Sallis boat in the hands of Alaisdar James and
Alayne Seymour (Steve Sallis sister...) who fancied a go, but were heard
after the race saying "no matter what you did on the gibe, you capsized!
They normally sail an RS800!!