Firefly Open at Chipstead Sailing Club
by Jo Mason 10 Sep 2009 09:18 BST
6 September 2009
Fireflys at Chipstead © Sophie Poston
Firefly National champions keep their winning streak
Seventeen Fireflies made the journey to Chipstead Sailing Club for the first fresh-water open meeting since Budworth in June.
National Champions Nigel Wakefield and Emily Saunderson proved they can also dominate on flat water, winning all three races (despite a false starts in race two).
Chipstead is where Wakefield learnt to sail and he and Saunderson were delighted to leave with the trophy. Competition for second place was fierce with Roger and Amy Morris just managing to hold off Tony and Moira Thresher from West Oxford.
Top Chipstead boat was class captain Neil Banks sailing with daughter Jennie and the under 21 prize was won by Tom Lonsdale and Emily Herridge also from West Oxford.
The Firefly fleet convene again at another open in the M25 series this weekend at Upper Thames Sailing Club. Well over 500 tickets have been issued for the Firefly 4000 prize draw. You need to sail in as many events as possible to boost your chances of winning the new boat at the Firefly prize draw gala evening on November 14.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Sail No | Helm | Crew | Club | Pts |
|---|
| 1 | 3674 | Nigel Wakefield | Emily Saunderson | Gosport MBYC | 2 |
| 2 | 3119 | Roger Morris | Amy Morris | Wessex Exiles | 4 |
| 3 | 3895 | Tony Thresher | Moira Thresher | West Oxford SC | 5 |
| 4 | 3095 | Chris Guy | Annie Goss | Castaways | 7 |
| 5 | 2282 | Will Mason | Alannah Witherby | ? | 9 |
| 6 | 3739 | Rachel Crebbin | Lucy Boreham | Dell Quay SC | 11 |
| 7 | 3823 | Barney Smith | Maddie Fenner | Hamble River SC | 12 |
| 8 | 3414 | Ali Barker | Natalie Crolla | RAFSA | 14 |
| 9 | 3967 | Tom Lonsdale | Emily Herridge | West Oxford SC | 14 |
| 10 | 2166 | Neil Banks | Jennie Banks | Chipstead SC | 19 |
| 11 | 3626 | Alastair Morley | Julia Morley | ? | 20 |
| 12 | 2486 | Paul Handley | Miles Handley | Chipstead SC | 23 |
| 13 | 3133 | Ray Smith | Jackie Ward | Dabchicks SC | 23 |
| 14 | 3999 | Peter Curl | Alison Ashton | Chipstead SC | 27 |
| 15 | 3128 | Fred Holmes | David Blower | Chipstead SC | 29 |
| 16 | 867 | Stuart Rickett | Ian White | Chipstead SC | 30 |
| 17 | 2966 | Andrew McLeish | James McLiesh | Carsington SC | 31 |
| 18 | 2095 | Peter Lanham | Wendy Seaton | Chipstead SC | 34 |
| 19 | 209 | Brin Ward | John Taylor-Ingle | Chipstead SC | 36 |