Review of 2014 Season at Whitehaven Sailing & Boating Association
by Mik Chappell 10 Mar 2015 12:04 GMT
Close racing on the Solway with Whitehaven S&BA © Ian Banton
Whitehaven Sailing and Boating Association's 2014 season came to a premature end with the Galemire Trophy on 20th September. It was won by John Roberts in his Contention 33 Poppy giving him three successive wins. Several attempts were made to follow the Galemire with the previously postponed Romar race to Kirkcudbright, but conditions and tides colluded to prevent it being held in 2014.
Results for, and points scored in, the eleven races held throughout the Season were then combined and it was confirmed that Laurie Clark's Sigma 33 Honey had won the Series. Poppy was in the runner up position and Bill Hurst's Mirage 28 Crackerjack was third.
Trophies were presented in mid November at the annual Charity Night in aid of the RNLI where in excess of £400 was pledged to the local lifeboats at Workington and St Bees. Laurie Clark took three awards for winning individual races plus one for securing the Club Champion. John Roberts and Bill Hurst also won three race trophies apiece in a closely contested series.
Steve Benn in his Hallberg Rassy 31 Shell Seeker picked up the trophy for winning the President's Cup race and Andy Tomlinson in Mimic, a Colvic 26, the award for winning the Ross Island Race. Julie Jefferson helming Poppy took the Lady Helm prize.
The award which is the most sought after is the Jack Dickson Trophy. This was presented to the Association some years ago by one of its founding members. It goes to the helm and crew of the boat finishing highest in the Series without winning any of the races. This year it went to David and Janet Fletcher in their Nicholson half tonner Layback
In all, twenty cruising yachts took part in the Series.
The first of Whitehaven Sailing and Boating Association's 2015 events was the AGM held on 31st January. At the Meeting Derek O'Reilly from Whitehaven was appointed Commodore and Alan Graham from Gretna Vice Commodore. Other posts remain unchanged from last season, the principal ones being David Fletcher as Sailing Secretary, Hugh Price as Treasurer and Margaret Trotter as Club Secretary.
The Sailing Secretary has produced an even more comprehensive Events Calendar than he drew up for last season. It contains thirteen races and six non competitive cruises, plus further social events in association with Whitehaven Marina.