Merlin Rocket Midland Mug at Midland Sailing Club

The Midland Mug 2012 © Richard Neighbour

The Midland Mug 2012 © Richard Neighbour

There was a considerable feeling of dejá vu about the Craftinsure Silver Tiller meeting at Midland this year. It was once again on Mothers’ Day. The same race officer and team were in charge, and there was another good turnout of visitors - many of them from Blithfield who had run their own Silver Tiller event the day before. The results, too, had a familiar ring about them.

18 visiting boats joined 9 Merlins from the home club, and race officer, Nigel Spurr, got the first race off into an easterly breeze. The light shifty conditions made for a testing race which was eventually won by Mike and Jane Calvert, followed by Matt Biggs and Ben Hollis in second and Andy (Taxi) Davis and Tom Pygall in third. Lunch was taken early to allow for an early start to the afternoon’s racing.

While lunch was being taken the clerk of the weather arranged for the wind to shift into a northerly direction – one which would make for more difficulty in approaching and leaving the windward marks. In the second race the wind favoured the few who got onto port early and many boats got stuck to the left of the beat. However, quality showed through with many of the usual suspects working their way to the front of the fleet. Mike and Jane pulled through to win from Matt and Ben with local team Richard Adams and Chris Gould in third.

The fleet stayed on the water for the final race, sailed over the same course. With Mike and Jane on shore Andy and Tom come to the fore. They won from Jon Gorringe and Toby Lewis, with Matt and Ben in third.

So Mike Calvert has got his name on the trophy yet again – his sixth win – with Jane crewing for him on this occasion. In a further repeat of last year Taxi and Tom’s win in the final race gave them second overall, ahead of Matt and Ben who once again were third.

Overall Results: