2017 Dinghy Rope Solo Midland Series - Mid-Season Report
by Nigel Davies on 5 Jul
5 July 2017
(l-r) Chris Brown, Nigel Davies and Ian Ingram currently 1st 2nd and 3rd in the 2017 Dinghy Rope Solo Midland Series © Nigel Davies
We are now in the Summer break after holding seven of the eleven events in this year's
Dinghy Rope Solo Midland Series. I'm pleased to say the series is going well with well-run events and good turnouts, averaging 26 boats per event.
Title sponsor this year is Dinghy Rope, they will give the first 23 series qualifiers a £25 gift voucher to use in their online shop. Dinghy Rope sell all types of rope, chandlery and clothing so there will be plenty to spend your voucher on.
Fernhurst Books are sponsoring the Vintage Boat prize. At each event, the first boat with a sail number under 5000 receives a free Fernhurst Book.
There will also be series prizes proved by the Solo Class Association.
Now onto the racing, getting to the top of the fleet seems to get harder each year as the turnouts and the quality of the sailors goes up. So far there has been a different winner at each event. The ability to sail in all winds and lake sizes will be the key to winning the overall series.
After some close racing in all conditions currently Chris Brown is in first place followed by Ian Ingram and myself Nigel Davies in third.
Stand out moments so far this year has been the big fleets for the Midland Areas at Draycote, the joint event at Carsington, the big winds of Northampton, heat at Shustoke and the quality of the food and Cakes at all events.
2017 Dinghy Rope Midland Series: (top ten after 7 events)
1st Chris Brown
2nd Ian Ingram
3rd Nigel Davies
4th Bob Suggitt
5th Richard Blunt
6th Paul Bottonley
7th Brian Fisher
8th Oli Wells
9th Kev Hall
10th David Badger
Richard Blunt in 5th is leading the Fernhurst Books Vintage Boat Category.
The Midland events and information are posted on the Solo web page and on Facebook group ‘Solo Midland Area’ so please take a look and come and join us, we are in the middle of the country so none of you have far to travel!
The next event is Notts County on the 2nd of September and I look forward to seeing you there.