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Allen Brothers

Solo Spring Championship at Oxford Sailing Club

by Bob Ashby 21 Apr 2009 15:10 BST 18 April 2009

After a week of dodgy light wind forecasts, 58 Solos signed on at Farmoor on Saturday 18th April for the second year of the Spring Championship.

Conditions proved to be deceptive with a North Easterly breeze off shore from the clubhouse that seemed gentle and innocuous.

Launching after Race Officer and Laser maestro Peter Bickerton's briefing, it was quickly discovered that conditions were brisk and gusty with planing aplenty as shelter of shore and Wytham Hill were lost.

Courses were laid on a triangle / sausage course and racing commenced quickly with only one recall, proving to be fast, furious and close. As the sun emerged the conditions became increasingly shifty near the windward mark, but as usual the 'class' emerged triumphant with Jim Hunt taking the win from Charley Cumbley (Teign Corinthian) and David McGregor (Hayling Island).

After lunch, in now glorious sun, (dispelling memories of the horrendous 'winters' at Grafham), the fleet got a little cheeky and rule 30.3 black flag corrected the forward tendency. Andy Davies (Chase SC) came to the fore with Bob Taylor (Corus) and Charlie C. Past Solo (and still quite handy) Master Pete Gibbard watching from shore noted "Jim Hunt planing past about 9 boats on one reach... amazing" with sage shake of head. It only got him to 4th though!

The third race was held back to back with slightly lighter breeze and shiftiness increasing a little. This time it was Charlie Cumbley taking the win with Lee Sydenham (Chichester YC) and David McGregor second and third respectively. Jim Hunt was one of two boats to fall foul of the black flag.

None of the home boats managed to cover themselves in glory with Terry Brooks sitting on his tiller, Bob Ashby disqualifying himself for forgetting bouyancy and flyweight Lesley Hotchin being overpressed in the conditions but wanting the exercise to tone up for this weeks Laser European Masters in Spain.

Overall Results:

PosSail NoHelmClubR1R2R3Pts
1st4986Charlie ChumbleyTeign Corinthian2-313
2nd7Andy DaviesChase SC-7145
3rd4985Jim HuntRYA14(BFD)5
4th4984David McGregorHayling Island SC3-1136
5th4748Andrew FoxCrosby SC-146511
6th4735Daniel GoodmanKingsmead SC-205611
7th4934Nick BrookHollingworth Lake SC6-32814
8th4442Lee SydenhamChichester YC-1313215
9th4907Bob TaylorCorus SC-3221315
10th4357Richard PyeDraycote SC8-9715
11th4835Will LoyLittleton SC412(RTD)16
12th4578Neil WilkinsonShustoke SC5(RTD)1116
13th4983Chris BrownRYA-107916
14th4501Simon JenosTeign Corinthian1110(DNC)21
15th4714Mike BallPapercourt SC168(DNC)24
16th4833Ian HarridgeNantwich SC917(BFD)26
17th4884Winder BoatsHollingworth Lake SC12-241729
18th4606Mark LeaSpinaker SC-28181230
19th4954Ian FoxCorus SC-15151530
20th4620Vanda YoungLittleton SC(RTD)221032
21st4669Nick RawlingsHayling Island SC1914-2633
22nd4760Paul HilesRoyal Bermuda YC-29231437
23rd4687Nigel DaviesDraycote SC-27211637
24th4860Jeremy AtkinsImperial Poona YC1720-2237
25th4851Gareth WilkinsonChelmarch SC(DNC)162743
26th4474Dave SmithHollingworth Lake SC-31251843
27th45Stevie BroomSpinaker SC-26261945
28th4336Terry BrooksOxford SC21(RTD)2445
29th4581Derek JackmanChichester YC23-342548
30th4772Mike WilkieLittleton SC18(RTD)3149
31st4386Michale DrayLittleton SC22-282850
32nd4880Godfrey ClarkFisher Green SC-4030.52050.5
33rd4847Andrew McGawKing George SC2427(DNC)51
34th4859Garth GriffithsIsland Barn SC(DNC)292352
35th4342R LonsdaleWest Oxfordshire SC2530.5(RTD)55.5
36th5017Richard WillettsBurghfield SC3719(RTD)56
37th4740John DaveyTeign Corinthian-50382159
38th4532David DownsCorus SC-43363066
39th4665Jon JowettLittleton SC30-373666
40th4481Peter McCreaDraycote SC3333(RTD)66
41st4867Chris GoswellBurghfield SC-39353267
42nd4504Phil WheelerSpinaker SC36-463470
43rd4853Martin AllenBewl Valley SC-46422971
44th4040John DanielsRYA35-443772
45th5002Frank BrownPapercourt SC-45393574
46th4732Keith MeekinsMaidenhead SC3445(DNC)79
47th4952Joe RycroftLithtow Sc-42413980
48th4353Dave CornishBanbury Cross SC4140(DNC)81
49th3961Anneka SmithPapercourt SC(DNS)434083
50th4071Peter HallidayIsland Barn SC51(RTD)3384
51st3940Lesley HotchinOxford SC-52473885
52nd4400Paul BristowBurghfield SC49(RTD)4190
53rd4942Roger MillettChichester YC38(DNC)RTD97
54th3716Bill HutchingsTonbridge Town SC5348(RTD)101
55th3550Bob AshbyOxford SC44(DSQ)DNS103
56th4254Dave JonesBurghfield SC47(DNC)DNC106
57th4215Claire ClarkFisher Green SC48(DNC)DNC107
58th4515T OllerearnshawStuartby SC(RTD)RTDDNC118

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