Merlin Rocket Open at Trent Valley Sailing Club

On 31st May was greeted with 12 boats on lovely sunny day with reasonably breeze for 1st time in many years.

1st Race started upstream in Force 2 breeze, with spinnakers straight up, the fleet got separated out early on in the Doldrums, with Rob Sloane and Bea Bramhall rounding the 1st mark first followed by Peter Browne and Dave Cluley, in 3rd James Clark and Lorna Orton. As the fleet came down the river to the Goddard Twist there was plenty of place changes with John Dalby 3534 and Jim Hopton 3194 taking on water and dropping down the fleet, start of the 2nd lap most people closed up as the wind pick up with James and Lorna going for a swim whilst attempting a spinnaker jive. 1st race ended with Mike Anslow 2nd Rob Sloane and 3rd Terry Bridgwater.

2nd Race started with some competitors shy of putting the spinnakers up, enabling the early ones a slight getaway, as everyone got to the first mark everyone was very close together with a lot WATER being shouted for buoy, 1st round was Guy Browne and Julie Redford, 2nd Richard Turner and Eric Banning 3rd Mike Anslow and Chris Winters. This Created some excellent tacking duels down the river, with Guy leading from Rob and Mike in 3rd. Start of the 2nd lap saw Guy drop down the field to fifth, 2nd race finished with 1st Mike Anslow 2nd Rob Sloane and 3rd Andy Dalby Then we had and Excellent Trent Valley Traditional Roast lunch which left us full and ready to work off.

3rd Race started with the wind up to force 4, couple boats either went for a swim or found the bank with enforced jives. As we got to the first buoy Rob Sloane led from Peter Browne and Andy Dalby in 3rd. Well down in the pack was Mike Anslow in 9th. On the way back down saw both Andy Dalby and Peter Browne both take on water with Rob Sloane leading from Terry Bridgwater with Mike Anslow in 3rd. On the final leg of the course Mike Anslow manage to out drag Rob Sloane to win all 3 races and take the Trent Valley Trophy. 1st old boat trophy was won by Tim Male in 3339 who came 4th overall.

Results

1st 3674 Mike Anslow & Chris Winters
2nd 3430 Rob Sloane & Belinda Bramhall
3rd 3591 Terry Bridgwater & Estelle Bridgwater
4th 3339 Tim Male & Rebecca Aldred
5th 3629 Peter Browne & Dave Cluley
6th 3482 Guy Browne & Julie Redford
7th 3532 Andy Dalby & John Dalby
8th 3489 Richard Turner & Eric Banning
9th 3041/3226 John Richardson & Ann Britton
10th 3509 James Clark & Lorna Orton
11th 3194 Jim Hopton & Louise Hopton
12th 2681 Roger Britton & Brian Wilmot