Miracle Open at Draycote Water Sailing Club

Miracles at Draycote © Mark Dunkley

Miracles at Draycote © Mark Dunkley

A close run thing

Fourteen Miracle dinghies enjoyed some very competitive racing at Draycote Water in an easterly Force 2 occasionally gusting to Force 3 with accompanying swings in wind direction. Sailing a standard Olympic course (triangles and sausages) with all 3 planned races to count, the start and finish line was positioned 150 Metres to upwind of the Leeward mark

Race 1 provided the closest finish of the day, it started with most boats tacking onto port and using the right-hand side of the beat. At the windward M mark Jon Willars and Max Warram (3793) lead from Hanna and Nick Smith (3805) and John Tippett and Kathy Boulton (4020). As the race developed the two leading boats swapped places several times, meanwhile Paul and Catlin Huett (4056) had moved up into third place The battle for first place continued until the final stage on last run where Willars and Warram got the inside overlap at the leeward mark, going on to take the gun with a margin of only a foot (300mm to you) from the Smiths with The Huetts in third place behind

Again in Race 2 there seemed to be an advantage in going up the right hand side of the first beat possible to take advantage from a lift off the Clubhouse bank. By the first lap Willars and Max Wharram led, followed by Richard Warram crewed by daughter Hannah (4045), Simon Reddecliffe and Mark Atherton (4007), Peter Burfield and Barbara Green (4034) and then the Smiths. By the end of the next lap (sausage) dramatic changes in fortune saw Hanna and Nick Smith in the lead followed by Richard and Todd Brameld (3131) and then Willlars & Wharram and the Huetts. This order stayed unchanged through the next lap to the finish.

For race 3 only two boats hung far right up the first beat Tippett/ Boulton and Richard and Hannah Warram to find they both had a considerable lead over the chasing pack led by Burfield / Green and the Huetts. By the end of the third lap Tippett / Bolton still had a good lead with the Huetts second and the Warrams in third. On the last beat the Huetts had closed the gap and Tippett / Boulton had found a hole in the wind at the windward mark. A neck and neck run down to the leeward mark saw the Huetts take the lead and go on to win from Tippett/Boulton and then the Warrams.

When all the dust of battle had settled, the accounting found that the Smiths and Huetts had the same points, but that the Smiths had won the event on count-back. Third and fourth positions were also decided on count-back.

Thanks to PRO Richard Hope and the Draycote Flying 15 fleet who ran an excellent event and to Draycote President, Harry Sayers, who presented the Trophy and prizes.

Overall Results: