Solo Midlands Area Open at Northampton Sailing Club

Solo Midlands Area Open at Northampton © Chris Bowen

Solo Midlands Area Open at Northampton © Chris Bowen

Sponsored by www.dinghy-rope.co.uk
Race Officer Miles O'Dell, Chris White and Max O'Dell

Well where do I start with so many incidents and action? With WindGuru reading 17, gusting 35, we did well to get 22 boats signed on.

Race 1 - The race got away cleanly with last year's winner Chris Brown leading Rob Cook round the first mark. They would pull out a big lead and after close racing finish in that order. Northampton Fleet Captain Neil Pitcher rounded marks 1,2 and 3 in 3rd before heading to mark 4 not realising that the course had been set 1-2-3, 2-3-4 line! On lap 2, Oli Wells was flattened by a big gust rounding the mark right in front of Ken Hall who managed to avoid him. It took Oli several attempts to get the boat up before continuing and capsizing on the next beat and retiring. Nigel Davies took 3rd, David Mitchell 4th and Kev Hall 5th.

Race 2 - Sailed back-to-back before lunch. Neil Pitcher capsized on the 1 minute gun and still managed to swim round the transom to right the boat and still make the gun after losing his watch in the 1st race! Rob Cook rounded the windward mark 1st from Richard Goodenough (former Inland Champion) and Tim Lewis (Island Barn SC) 3rd before dropped it big time on the run. Lewis took the win with Brown 2nd, Davies up to 3rd and Cook using his weight back up to 4th with Goodenough down to 5th on only his 4th outing of the year. Hall and Mitchell were also capsize victims.

Solo Midlands Area Open at Northampton - photo © Chris Bowen

Race 3 - After a well-earned break for lunch the race started with a general recall. Unknown to the fleet the next start was abandoned at the windward mark as it was drifting and had to be re-laid nearer the club shore, giving spectators a good view. Chris Brown led Wells, Mitchell and Cook with Lewis in 5th.

Race 4 - Started with Wells crashing into Hall at the Committee Boat end, pushing in and having to do penalty turns, which left Pitcher in clean air up in front with Brown and Davies down to leeward but Pitcher tired letting in Davies 1st, Lewis 2nd, Holden 3rd, followed by Cook, Brown and Hall. Again the leader dropped it on the run handing the lead to Mitchell who sailed well to win from Brown 2nd, Lewis 3rd, Wells 4th and Holden 5th.

The worthy winner was Chris Brown from Draycote SC who thanked NSC for hosing a great event and sponsors Dinghy Rope and the Fernhurst Book Prize which went to Justin Hall 4646 finishing all 4 races. Rob Cook was 1st Northampton boat winning the Richard Butterfield Trophy. Full results can be found on the NSC website and Solo website and Solo Midlands Facebook page.

Overall Results: