Notts County Winter Series Overall
by James Logan, NCSC 21 Dec 2016 15:35 GMT
18 December 2016
John Marshall and Charlie Soubry in the Notts County Winter Series © David Eberlin
Nottinghamshire County (NCSC) concluded their eight day long winter series on the 18th of December, the final day's racing being accompanied by the traditional pre-Christmas fuddle bringing down plenty of spectating members to join the sailors coming off the water for some deserved refreshments, both hot from the buffet and cold from the bar.
The series consists of the 'Oakleaf' handicap race, with fast, slow, junior and windsurf raceboard starts and the 'Frostbite' 75 minute pursuit race. Good participation numbers for the series made for close racing during the predominantly soft wind days, with a couple of glaring exceptions when only the truly keen, or those after better than normal placings in reduced fleets, ventured out.
With the ever young and ever present windsurf raceboard fleet also participating, along with a selection of junior sailors in their Toppers and Oppis, it made for continued busy days on the water after a full on summer season, and no respite for the race management teams. The raceboard fleet series wins went to Kevin Clark (7.5 sq.m fleet) and Gerry Ball (9.5 sq.m fleet). The Junior racing was comprehensively won by Will Thomas in his Topper.
The 'Oakleaf' handicap race saw 70 entries over the series, with 30 out on many Sundays. The RS400s dominated the fast fleet sizes, often with 6 to 9 boats on the start line, but it was the Fireball of Kevin Hope and Andy Stewart who took overall honours with four counting bullets against strong fleets of Scorpions and Flying Fifteens alongside the 400's. Laser and Solo boats comprised much of the slow fleet with Ian Firth in his Solo only dropping one counting bullet, to a second, to take the series' slow helm prize. The fist crew prize went to an intrepid junior sailor, Matthew Gunn, in his Mirror dinghy, ably assisted by Stephanie Gunn (is a relative) on the helm. Stephanie also came second in the slow fleet helm's competition.
The 75 minute 'Frostbite' pursuit, led off by the Laser 4.7's, after lunch gave the RS400 collective a few more minutes to drink tea and prepare for their +16 start. Again, with generally over 20 boats on the water, the races concluded with close finishes and tight bunches after the drawn out starting. The overall top 10 registered 7 different classes but, as for the morning racing, the overall title was closely fought between Ian Firth's Solo and the Fireball of Kevin Hope and Andy Stewart. The Fireball just pipped it.
With the winter series now wrapped up, NCSC can have a brief recess. But with its renewed 30 year lease for use of the water, major Sport England Inspired Facilities' grant funded extension work in full motion and a number of University and other one off events planned for January / February it will soon be called back into action for the Spring Black and White series starting in March.
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