Photos © John Male

The Stan Cleal Trophy is contested

Martin Crysell wins the Stan Cleal Trophy

Stan Cleal trophy

The 10 race series known as GAMES, reached an exciting climax at Three Rivers RYC for the Stan Cleal Trophy on Sunday the 13th November 2011. Whilst Martin Crysell was top of the leaderboard having sailed very consistently throughout the year, Roy Stevens with 2 wins from the previous 9 events had the potential to overtake him, if he finished 1st or 2nd and ahead of Martin.

Local ace, Peter Popham, won the first 2 races easily in a very variable light breeze from the East, blowing over and through the trees. However local knowledge failed him in Race 3 to let Roger Stollery win with Martin 2nd. Hugh McAdoo who had been consistently in podium positions won Race 4 with Tony Guerrier 2nd. Tony made a good start in Race 5 and went on to win with Roger 2nd. Roy Stevens raised his game for Race 6 and finished 2nd behind Hugh, but in front of Martin for the first time. Roger came back to win Race 7 with Martin 2nd. At this point Martin raised his game and won the next 2 races and Race 11. Not to be outdone, Hugh ended the event well with 1, 2, 1 to finish just one point behind Martin, who was quite delighted to win both the event and the GAMES series.

Martin was even more delighted to be the first winner of the specially created trophy, the Midgley Memorial Mug, given by GMYC in memory of their late Commodore, Paul Midgley.

Stan Cleal trophy Results:

1st Martin Crysell, Guildford ‘Rok‘ 20pts
2nd Hugh McAdoo, Guildford ‘Prime Number’ 21pts
3rd Peter Popham, Three Rivers ‘Starkers’ 38pts
4th Roy Stevens, Tri Services ‘Prime Number’ 39pts
5th Roger Stollery, Guildford ‘ Crazy Tube Too’ 42pts
6th Tony Guerrier, Three Rivers ‘Starkers’ 56pts
7th John Shorrock, Reading ‘Starkers’ 64pts
8th John Carter, Three Rivers ‘Rok’ 65pts
9th Keith Allen, Three Rivers ‘Paradox‘ 77pts
10th Alan Viney, Guildford ‘Prime Number‘ 93pts
11th Terry Rensch, Guildford ‘Prime Number‘ 95pts
12th Dick Grange, Three Rivers ‘Starkers‘ 96pts
13th Max Lembke, Three Rivers 130pts

GAMES final report

The 2011 GAMES started at the Whitlingham Trophy in Norwich on a cold and windy day in February attracting 10 entries and was won by Graham Bantock. GAMES 2 was the two-day Marblehead National Championship run by Guildford at Abbey Meads in March. This event attracted 26 entries, including entries from Ireland, Belgium and 4 from France, as this event was also part of the Euro Grand Prix series, one each in the UK, Holland, Belgium France and Germany. It was also an MYA Centenary event, with a dinner, photographic images from the past decades, lots of looking back particularly by 4 people who were at the first Radio Marblehead National Championship also run by Guildford in 1974 at Elstead Moat. This included the current national champion, Peter Stollery, who came to that first championship in his pram!

GAMES 3 attracted 12 entries and was raced at Reading Sailing Club in an almost windless day in April, with just a little problem with weed that had been cut from the adjacent Olympic rowing area. Martin’s consistency and patience also won this event and put him top of the leaderboard.

However this changed after GAMES 4 held in the Scottish District by Ayr Bay, another good sailing venue. Through the enthusiasm of secretary Gordon Neil, 11 entries, many of whom had not raced their Marbleheads for some time had a memorable event. They were delighted to be reminded of how fantastic these boats are to sail. It was the turn of Roy Stevens to win and also the improver’s prize with Hugh McAdoo 2nd and Robert Rooney 3rd. Roy also travelled a long way to Abbey Meads in May and won the next GAMES event and put himself at the top of the leaderboard to win the brand-new Acorn Trophy, presented for the first time for the winner of Met and Southern District Marblehead ranking event.

There was a bit of a gap before the next GAMES event at the Broads RYC in September. This notched up another win for Graham Bantock, but here the consistency of Martin Crysell helped again to put him back on top of the leaderboard with his 2nd place in this event. GAMES 7 was held at Birkenhead, because of the weed problem at Rotherham and this event was won by Brad Gibson who borrowed Peter Stollery’s champion Crazy Tube ‘refinedmadness’ to win from Martin Crysell with Andrea Roberts 3rd sailing her pink world champion ‘Starkers’. GAMES 8 was sailed at Manor Park late in October with 13 entries in a decent 5/10 mph breeze that was variable in direction. Graham Bantock won the event with Brad Gibson 2nd and John Tushingham 3rd.

GAMES 9, the Mermaid at Guildford, was sailed in superb conditions with the northerly wind blowing straight down the lake and strong enough for there to be occasional planing on the downwind legs. Peter Stollery gave a masterclass in sailing fast offwind, gybing his swing rig on the lifts and maintaining planing speed at an angle to the wind, whilst those going straight downwind could only plane in the strongest gusts. Roy Stevens was 2nd and so closed the gap on Martin Crysell to add to the excitement of the final event at 3 Rivers.

GAMES has certainly created a lot of interest in racing Marbleheads. Entries to the events have increased as a result and it is expected that this interest will grow further in 2012, because of the World Championships to be held in France in October. The Scottish District are keen to repeat the success of their Marblehead event at Ayr Bay and the South-Western District have offered to run the Canada Cup as the SW District Marblehead ranking event at Poole’s new lake. This is the first time that such an event has been organised in the district for many years.

GMYC would like to thank the 76 competitors and 27 volunteers who organised the racing for making the GAMES a success. Congratulations go to all those who travelled far to enjoy the series and to create such good competition at so many clubs.

Marbleheads are the Formula One of radio racing and are fun to sail, with magical speed off the wind, particularly with swing rigs, the simplicity of which also make the setting of good trims very easy for the beginner. These superb sailing machines can be exceptionally good value, as there are modern designs available secondhand, which are competitive and give excellent, close racing.

Come and enjoy some more GAMES in 2012!