Eleven 12s took to water this weekend for fourth open in
Midland’s Area Series at Redesmere Sailing Club including 4 vintage
boats in fleet. A good sourly wind with incessant gusts gave
fleet exciting racing all day on a course littered with gybes and
surrounded by trees!
Race 1 - Dave Peacock and Tricia Wood having only landed at Manchester
airport from a holiday in Cyprus two hours before meeting, decided
to practise a full capsize drill even before start. When race
got under way Paul Turner and Debi Gibson got off to a stomping start
pulling out a leg on fleet by end of first beat. Dave
Peacock and Tricia Wood and Brian Herring and Ros Stevenson, in
chasing pair of boats, were quickly caught by end of second leg
by Christian Day and Sophie Richards who proceeded to catch Paul and
Debi over next lap and by end of second beat took lead.
Paul, now in second position and suffering from a broken tiller
extension with Debi hiking for her life, continued to hold off Dave and
Tricia, but couldn’t stop ir new Paradigm 2 eventually overtaking.
Dave quickly caught up Chris and Sophie and seized opportunity to
take lead when gusts got better of m, with Stumpy
capsizing at end of beat. Dave and Tricia went on to win
first race, with Chris and Sophie (bailing frantically) taking second
with Paul and Debi close behind in third. Furr down fleet Brian
Herring and Ros Stevenson took 4th ahead of locals Alan Mason and Tim
Lowe and Loudons who had travelled up from West Oxfordshire.
Race 2 - Chris and Sophie made most of ir local Redesmere
knowledge to take lead early on. Paul and Debi were hot on ir
heels, holding ir own in vintage fleet, y were followed by
Dave and Tricia. 2009 Paradigm 2 v. 1970 China Doll battle continued
with Paul and Debi twice finding a way past only to eventually lose out
to Paradigm’s superior offwind planing performance. As wind
conditions lightened Dave and Tricia began to reel Baggy Trousers
in, but Chris and Sophie held on to lead, with Dave coming in second
and Paul third. youth team of Tom White and Maria Gidley from Olton
Mere pulled through fleet to take 4th after Brian and Ros capsized,
while Loudons recovered from ir own capsize more quickly in ir
self-draining Big Issue 2 to take 5th.
Race 3 - A calming wind ensued for final race of day with
fleet all getting off to a good start. Dave Peacock, took lead after
first beat only to be caught by Christian Day at beginning of
third leg and later by Paul Turner and Chris Troth and Laura
Humphrey in second Olton Mere youth boat. However, In lighter
winds Chris struggled to hold off Dave and was taken on penultimate
beat. Dave kept first, with Christian second and Paul third, also
winning vintage fleet. Chris and Laura took a creditable 4th place
to secure youth prize. Meanwhile Paul and Debi were so overjoyed
with ir vintage victory and decided to take a flying run coming in –
capsizing right on to jetty. Apparently board was jammed with
jib sheet and this was only solution!
Results
1st N3524 Dave Peacock and Tricia Wood (Trent Valley SC)
2nd (and 1st AC) N3377 Chris Day and Sophie Richards (Redesmere SC)
3rd (and 1st Vintage) N2487 Paul Turner and Debi Gibson (Trent Valley
SC)
1st Youth N3412 Chris Troth and Laura Humphrey (Olton Mere SC)
Quote from Paul Turner Midland Area NTOA rep - “After a number of years
absence it’s great to welcome Redesmere back onto N12 Open meeting
circuit; a big “thank you” to Alan Mason and Christian Day for all ir
hard work and to rest of crew at RSC for superb
organisation, catering and hospitality. It was also good to see such a
strong turnout from Olton Mere (4 boats) and Trent Valley (3). final
two MAAT meetings are on Saturday 12th September at OMSC (with a social
in evening) and at TVSC day after. Please note that Trent
Valley meeting is MAAT and Vintage. re will be separate races for
DBs/ACs and Vintage/4 plankers; both series of races will count towards
MAAT – i.e. re will be two firsts etc to count for series.
results so far are posted elsewhere but scores are very close.
Although Gerald Copsey is leading Dave Peacock has two firsts and is
planning to sail at TVSC.
And it would be remiss of me (Chadders would never forgive me) not to
mention that next Vintage meetings are on Saturday 5th September at
Derwent, TVSC as above on 13th and final fun weekend is at Ripon and
Yeadon 10/11th October.”
Burton week
Organising an event