Wildwind Rooster Laser Midland Grand Prix Round 9 at Swarkestone SC

The forecast for Round 9 of the Wildwind/Rooster Midland Grand Prix at Swarkstone was a good ten miles per hour and bright sunshine, the sun materialised but the wind didn't. The wind came and went all day regularly returning in completely the opposite direction. Several times during the day boats could be seen on completely opposite points of sailing on the same leg of the race course. The race officer did a fantastic job to ensure that the first leg of the day was always a beat, even though it won't obvious to the competitors before the start that it would be.

The first race was led round the windward mark by Paul Williamson (Staunton Harold), a position that he held until the third leg (a run) when most of the fleet converged on the mark with 5 boats calling water on Paul. Andy Allan (Trimpley) looked like taking the lead but had to gybe on to part and clipped a starboard boat in the process. A small gust for Paul just broke the overlap enabling him to keep the lead for a little longer. Sam Hirst (Swarkstone) sailed the opposite side of one of the islands on the next leg to take the lead from Paul. However, Paul had the slight edge on upwind boat speed using a MK2 Standard sail which was enough to create a gap that he held to win the first race. Joe Scurrah (Carsington) managed to seek out the wind to pull through to second with Sam in third.

Race 2 followed a simulator pattern with Paul Williamson leading around the windward mark, this time he was followed closely by Ellie Craig (Staunton Harold) sailing a Radial. They were joined by a third Staunton Harold Sailor Rich Bennett and the three temporarily broke away from the pack. Paul picked up a gust that gave hime a good lead at the final mark, however, this was short lived when he was becalmed on the final reach to the finish line letting Rich through to win the race. Paul just managed to hang on to second place with the rest of the fleet converging rapidly on him. Ellie managed to hold on to her position to finish in third place.

Going into the final race Paul Williamson, Rich Bennett, Joe Scurrah could have won, Rich and Joe needing to win the race to win. However, local sailor Ian Monk was first at the windward mark, Joe and Paul could hardly be separated at this stage, but the gap that Ian had was enough for him to pick up a gust on the first reach to pull away. At the end of the race Ian had built up a 5 minute lead on the rest of the fleet. This was a race where other Swarkstone boats made the best of the conditions with John Hainsworth finishing 2nd and Sam Hirst finishing 4th behind Joe Scurrah. This left Paul Williamson first with Ian Monk Second and Joe Scurrah third. Ellie Craig was first Radial and had she sailed with a standard rig could have potentially won the event. The second Radial was Emma Robertson from Swarkstone.

Event results can be found here.

After 9 events Andy Allan is leading the 2016 Wildwind/Rooster Laser Midland Grand Prix from Paul Williamson in second and Rich Bennett in third, overall results can be found here.