Supernova Travellers' Series at Bartley Sailing Club
by Steve Hawley 22 Oct 2013 08:22 BST
20 October 2013
Last event in the Noble Marine Travellers Trophy 2013 © John Ling
Not put off by strong gusts 19 boats including 6 home boats went to Bartley for the last event if the 2013 Noble Marine Travellers Trophy. Whilst class chairman Paul Earnshaw had the trophy in the bag there was all to play for just behind.
Stuart Catterall got off to a great start in the first race with Mike Gibson and Cliff Milliner not far behind, a good hard first beat and long run saw Milliner sail very low and it paid off with him taking the lead which he held until the end. Catterall and Gibson swapped places, but in the end it was Catterall who made second followed by Gibson and Steve Hawley.
Gibson had a strong start in race 2 and established a lead which was never challenged and whilst the chasing fleet tried to catch up battles for second and third place allowed Gibson to pull away. Milliner sailed a solid race to take second place and Tony Critchley came in for third. There were some impressive capsizes throughout the fleet and racing was very close.
Race 3 followed on and despite the rain setting in there was still plenty of wind. It was not a clear cut with 3 people able to win. It came down to a battle between Milliner and Gibson, with Paul Earnshaw just staying ahead of Critchley. Catterall was OCS leaving him a lot to do to catch up but he made it back to 5th. In the end Gibson crossed the line ahead of Milliner taking first and second respectively.
It was nice to end the 2013 Noble Marine Travellers Trophy in a good breeze and some tough racing. We are all heading back to Bartley on 7th December for the Christmas Pudding social race which will handicap our event winners and benefit our fleet regulars.
Results
1st: Mike Gibson, Bartley, 2pts
2nd: Cliff Milliner, Cotswold, 3pts
3rd: Stuart Catterall, Bolton, 7pts
1st Junior: Lewis Brailsford, Sutton in Ashton
Master: Tony Critchley, Bolton
Veteran: Steve Johnson, Cotswold