Firefly Inlands at South Staffordshire Sailing Club

by Mark Tait 3 Nov 2004 08:07 GMT 23-24 October 2004

The fleet of 28 boats descended on the Galley pool for a leisurely start to be greeted by complimentary tea, bacon rolls and a light breeze.

The first race was dominated by Class legend Stuart Hudson and Linda Eadie, winning convincingly, the chasing pack played snakes and ladders. The second race was held after a great lunch in minimal wind and rain. Chris Kameen and Liz Neave proved the wiliest zephyr hunters escaping torrential rain first. Saturdays results left first to seventh separated by three points, plenty to play for on Sunday.

Sunday dawned to tea and Bacon rolls, bright Blue skies and a fresh breeze. The race committee continued in their excellent manner making it look easy – whist the competitors struggled with 30-degree shifts. Mark Tait and Sally Cuthbert convincingly won the first Race.

The wind had built for fourth race, the leaders remained more bunched for the first half but again Mark and sally slipped away to win.

The overall series was still all to play for in the final race. Simon Spolton and Amy lead the charge, Keeping the lead to the finish. Age and experience often wins in tricky conditions. This time it seemed to be down to the boats themselves. The combined of the first 3 boats being well over 130 years must be something of a record, whilst that of 4th and 5th would be under one!!

Overall Results:

Pos	Sail No	Helm	Crew	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	Pts
1	2587	M Tait	S Wakefield	Wessex Exiles	6	2	1	1	3	7
2	69	C. Kameen	L Neeve	West Kirby	4	1	2	4	2	9
3	1853	S. Spolton	Amy	Castaways	2	5	4	8	1	12
4	3681	S. Hudson	L Eadie and R Jones	Spinnaker	1	DNSO	3	3	7	14
5	3811	J. Billington	S Mellor	South Staffs	5	3	7	2	4	14
6	3072	D. Boreham	L Boreham	London Corinthian	3	6	6	6	6	21
7	3619	K. Macaulay	A Macaulay	South Staffs	8	4	8	16	5	25
8	3619W	N. Goodhead	Goodhead	South Staffs	10	7	5	5	9	26
9	3683	W. Bradburn	Bradburn	South Staffs	9	8	13	11	8	36
10	2	J. Warburton		Cardifff Uni./South Staffs	11	9	11	13	18	44
11	2749	E. Nicklin		South Staffs	18	DNF	9	7	11	45
12	2282	W. Mason	J Brooks	Tamesis	14	DNSO	12	9	15	50
13	13677	E. Bradburn		South Staffs	12	10	17	12	16	50
14	3809	A. Rowland		West Kirby	15	DNS	10	10	17	52
15	2215	T. Hotchkiss	B Hotchkiss	South Staffs	16	DNF	14	14	10	54
16	3677	M Evans		South Staffs	13	13	15	DNF	13	54
17	3616	J. Bickford	J Mason	Upper Thames	17	11	16	15	19	59
18	3714	S. Troke		South Staffs	20	12	20	17	20	69
19	2213	J. Salomonson		South Staffs	21	14	21	DNS	14	70
20	3739	S. Fleming		South Staffs	19	DSQ	18	DNF	12	75
21	3023	B. Smith	R Crebbin	Wessex Exiles	7	DNSO	DNC	DNC	DNC	85
22	1	J. Clapham		Cardifff Uni.	24	DNSO	19	20	22	85
23	2517	M. Warbrick		South Staffs	23	DSQ	22	19	21	85
24	5	G. Baggott		Cardifff Uni.	25	15	24	DNS	23	87
25	3618	C. Rhodes	H Rhodes	South Staffs	22	DNF	23	18	DNC	89