Noble Marine Solo Winter Championships at Grafham Water Sailing Club

Thirty-two hardy Solo sailors made the trip to Grafham Water on 23rd February for the Noble Marine Solo Winter Championship. I had to question the postcode I had entered into my SatNav as although the destination had been reached I was sure I was somewhere near the North Pole. The wind was from the east, nothing ever good comes from there and the temperature could be measured by the number of ice crystals forming on my beard. The effect of global warming has not tracked this far down the A1... yet. This was still a competitive event with the usual suspects wanting to start their 2013 campaign off in style.

The National Solo class is incredibly buoyant and with the National and Nations Cup being held in Hayling in July, many sailors are buying new boats, the latest is 5399 owned by Scotsman Kevan Gibb.

Race 1

The wind was to be the strongest of the day, 8-12 knots and the fleet got away cleanly on a very port biased line. At the top mark it was reigning national champion Andy Davis with a 20 second gap to Micheal Sims. Paul Rayson, Chris Brown, John Blundell were close behind as they made their way downwind. The pressure had dropped and there was no real opportunity to overtake. Up the second beat and Davis was loosely covering the fleet, Sims was unable to close and the one sided beat reduced the tactical options. Sims gained down the run but Davis was solid and countered every move. The third beat proved eventful for the chasing pack and it was Pete Mitchell who made the best of the shift to power his 3dl powered Winder up into 4th place. Davis covered Sims to the finish, Rayson third and P.Mitchell forth and Ian Hopwood 18th, feeling every one of his forty years.

Race 2

Davis won the pin end and initially looked to be controlling the fleet but those who had gone right now found more pressure and tacked into a nice lift to clear the fleet. The light and fickle breeze was helping or hurting depending where you were, Kevan Gibb sailing his old Speed Solo (his new one was under wraps in the boatpark) rounded first with John Blundell in second, Pete Mitchell third and Simon Maskell forth. Sims was holding Davis off in fifth/sixth as they tracked across Grafham water to the wing mark. No major place changes and Gibb sailing his own race. Davis got mullered up the next beat, Sims working up to third as they rounded the top mark. The course was shortened so the run would be to the finish. Sims was on the march and worked over the top of Blundell and Gibb to take the bullet. Blundell did the same to the unfortunate Gibb and the consistent Mitchell was forth. Davis finished sixth which would prove critical in the final shakedown. Ian Hopwood revelled in the conditions to finish 16th.

Race 3

The lightest winds of the day, the only benefit being the reduced wind chill. Mitchell leads with Blundell in second. Sims is in third and Davis is struggling to get back on terms. The reaching legs did nothing to raise the heartbeat and Mitchell retained the lead, the North sails jockey looking comfortably in control. There were some big shifts and Chris Mayhew was in the right place to hook into a nice lift which took him up into second. Sims continued to gain down the run and made his move up the third beat when Mitchell opted not to cover (note to self, always cover). Sims took the lead and held for the title. Mayhew in the Wooden Poulson hull finished a very creditable second and Mitchell third. Ewan Birkin Walls had featured well in the race, still recovering from pneumonia he finished fourth so look out for him this year.

Ian Hopwood retired from the race allowing him time to prepare for his 40th birthday do in Huntingdon with some of the sailors. Congratulations to the Gybe King.

So, Micheal Sims retains the Noble Marine Solo Winter Championship with Andy Davis second and John Blundell third. Pete Mitchell was an unlucky forth, his 4-3 scoreline trumped by Blundells'5-2 and Davis's 1-6. Paul Rayson finished fifth and Kevan Gibb's sixth overall a reward of some kind for travelling down from Scotland.

Everyone I spoke to confirmed they are making the trip to Hayling Island this year for the Nationals and Nations Cup, will Micheal Sims add the big title to his bag?

Overall Results: (three races, 1 discard)