Scorpion Open at Notts County Sailing Club

Scorpions at Notts County © David Eberlin

Scorpions at Notts County © David Eberlin

Scorpions at Notts County © David Eberlin

Thirty-seven boats took part in the next to last Scorpion event of the season. The wind on the Saturday was the forecast force 2-3 and roughly westerly – which meant that the first beat was across the short axis of the lake and there were inevitable shemozzles at windward mark. Things were made even harder for both the race committee and the competitors by the fact that the wind was swinging by up to 20o either way.

The undoubted stars of the first day were Pete Gray and Richard Pepperdine (2022, Staunton Harold SC) who won all three races, and by a long way to boot. The first race got under way under a black flag after a general recall. Pete and Rich led from the outset and were shadowed all the way to the finish by fellow SHSC sailors, Pete Mitchell and Simon Forbes (2013) and Tim Parsons and Andy Davis (2014 Lyme Regis SC).

Race 2 was sailed back-to-back and Pete and Rich shot out of the blocks in just the same way. On this occasion the leaders of the following bunch were Alex Hayman and Roy Castle (2021 Sidmouth SC) and Andy McKee and Chris Massey (2026 Dovestones SC) and Rick and Lucy Searle (2023 Warsash SC). Rick and Lucy eventually slipped back a little and 2026 took 3rd place with Jack Banks and Penny Jeffcoate (2017 West Kirby SC) in 4th and 2013 coming 5th.

Just as the third race started at 1615, the wind decided to end 15 minutes of indecisiveness by swinging 40o to the left and to lose a lot of its umph at the same time. This more or less scuppered the race, with beats converted to fetches and tight reaches to agonising runs in which it felt as though everybody else was getting whatever little puffs of wind there were. Pete and Rich (2022) were miles ahead once again, but were now followed by 2026, Barry and Linda Wolfenden (2024, Bough Beech SC) and Richard and Sarah Mason (Notts County SC 1997). 2017 was 5th and Ryan and Hannah Buchanan (2028 Lyme Regis SC) performed the Houdini act of the day by coming 6th after an action-packed first lap, including a two-turn penalty. No-one complained when the dying race was put out of its misery after two laps.

Scorpions at Notts County - photo © David Eberlin

But the second day was something else again. The sun still shone but the wind was fresher (10-15 Kn) and from the SW (more or less) – which allowed a longer beat and some fantastic flying reaches. It was 2017 who led at the windward mark in Race 4, followed by 2024, 2013 and 2022. Behind them were Richard Jones and John Purdie (1947 Shotwick SC) on a real flier, and then 2026 and the Hardy boys (Notts County SC) in their newly acquired, first-ever Scorpion, 1967. 2017 held on to win the race with 2022 close behind and 2013 third. 2024 was 4th but juniors, Helena Pugh and Giles Kurzyk (2002, Poole YC) achieved a great 5th place.

Race 5 saw Nigel Potter and Ferret (2018, Notts County SC) join the leading bunch of 4-5 boats that had a real ding-donger but 2017 eventually nabbed a second win, ahead of 2014 and 2018. The competitors came out for Race 6 after a brief but sumptuous lunch provided by Notts County's incomparable Pauline. This last race was to be Tim and Taxi's from start to finish, with the others jockeying for position behind them before Pete and Rich took second. This sealed their overall success.

It was a great sailing weekend for all and Notts County were really appreciative of all those who had travelled so far to take part.

Overall Results: