Miracle Midland Area Championships at Draycote Water Sailing Club
by Caroline Noel & John Tippitt 13 Sep 2013 10:36 BST
7-8 September 2013
Miracle Midland Area Championships at Draycote Water © Malcolm Lewin /
www.malcolmlewinphotography.zenfolio.com/sail
Sunshine and light winds were forecast for the Midland Area event over 2 days with 2 races on Saturday, 3 races on Sunday and with 3 to count. Winds continued a very shifty and gusty force 2-3 throughout weekend.
At the start of race 1 Jon Willars and Max Wharram from Welton SC (3793) lead to the windward mark ahead of Carolynn and Nick Smith from Thornbury SC (3805) and Richard and Katie Byne (3678) from Draycote. This order stayed for the first triangle and then on the beat the Smiths moved to first and the Bynes to second. Lap 3 stayed the same but the Bynes were catching the Smiths and then overtook them on the last beat to win.
In race 2 the Bynes lead from the start followed by Draycote sailors John Tippett and Kathy Boulton (4020) and then on the penultimate beat Tippett/Bolton found themselves on the right side of a big wind shift and in the lead,only to be overtaken on subsequent leg by the Bynes who went on to win. On the last beat a similar wind shift saw the Smiths catch, overtake, and drop Tippett/Boulton to 3rd.
Sunday's racing continued in similar conditions and the big wind shifts saw changes in position throughout the fleet Race 3 saw Martin and Abby Huett of Draycote (4056) take the gun with Ally and Phoebe Jones (4055) also from the host club second and the Bynes third with the Smiths in 4th.
During race 4 the positions change dramatically when Jones banged a corner on the beat and moved into first place and continued to lead to finish first with the Bynes 2nd and Smiths 3rd.
These results meant that the Joneses could equal the Bynes best score of two firsts and a second if they won in the next race, but only equal it since they had no discard. In the event, in strengthening winds, Race 5 was won by the Smiths with Jones 2nd and the Bynes 3rd.
Overall results
1st Richard and Katie Byne - Draycote Water S.C.
2nd Carolynn and Nick Smith – Thornbury S.C.
3rd Ally and Phoebe Jones - Draycote Water S.C.
4th Matt Ambrose and Dan Ryder – Deben S.C.
5th Jon Willars and Max Wharram – Welton S.C.