Solo Western Series at Tata Steel Sailing Club
by John Steels 16 Apr 2018 14:01 BST
14 April 2018
First Round of the Solo Western Series 2018 at Tata Steel © Andrew Jenkins
This was the first event in the 2018 Solo Western Area Travellers Series.
Weather conditions perked up from the forecast 0-5mph to an excellent 3 gusting 4. The race officer managed to use most of the lake despite the westerly wind direction setting an old Olympic sausage-triangle course.
Race 1
Racing started promptly at 11am with all 20 competitors fighting for a place on the line.
Chris Goldhawk (Chew Valley) was first to the windward mark and managed to hold off Cliff Crawshaw (Tata) and Bob Taylor (Tata) to take the first win of the day, the rest of the fleet was chasing hard with only 5 minutes separating first and last boats in the 45 minute race.
Race 2
Bob Taylor was off the line like a rocket, managing the beat well to round the windward mark first, followed closely by Chris and Cliff, alas on the last downwind leg Bob gybed to round the mark, but not quick enough, just allowing Chris to slip inside, Cliff powered past on the last beat, and the race finished again with Chris winning followed by Cliff and Bob.
Race 3
After an excellent lunch race 3 started on time with the wind dropping slightly, not that this deterred Chris who was again first to the windward mark, Ian Maclean being turbocharged after lunch sailed into second place with Cliff making his way through the fleet from a poor start (10th over the line) to finish third.
Race 4
With a freshening breeze and many of the senior competitors feeling their age and dropping down the order Chris again hit the front pushed hard by Ian and John Steels (Starcross), Ian pushed Chris all the way and finally managed to pass him for his first win of the day, Chris was second and John third.
Our thanks to the race officer who didn't waste time between races and managed to run four 45 minute races, and get competitors away at a reasonable time.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Boat | Sail No | Club | Helm | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | Pts |
|---|
| 1st | | 5362 | Chew Valley S.C. | Chris Goldhawk | 1 | 1 | 1 | ‑2 | 3 |
| 2nd | | 5291 | South Cerney S.C. | Ian Maclean | 4 | ‑5 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
| 3rd | | 5290 | Tata Steel S.C. | Cliff Crawshore | 2 | 2 | 3 | ‑6 | 7 |
| 4th | Excaliber | 5104 | Tata Steel S.C. | Bob Taylor | 3 | 3 | 4 | ‑7 | 10 |
| 5th | | 5479 | Tata Steel S.C. | Jason Taylor | ‑5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 13 |
| 6th | Snibbo | 5786 | Starcross YC | John Steels | ‑6 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 15 |
| 7th | The Dark Side | 5644 | Torpoint Mosquito S.C. | Goeff Holden | ‑11 | 7 | 10 | 5 | 22 |
| 8th | | 5356 | Tata Steel S.C. | Graham Don | 8 | ‑11 | 7 | 11 | 26 |
| 9th | | 5024 | Chew Valley Lake S.C. | Rob Mitchell | 9 | 9 | ‑12 | 8 | 26 |
| 10th | Red | 5038 | Tata Steel S.C. | Paul Bambridge | 7 | 10 | ‑13 | 10 | 27 |
| 11th | Gyda'r Gwynt | 5793 | Chew Valley Lake S.C. | Errol Edwards | 10 | 8 | 9 | ‑12 | 27 |
| 12th | | 5132 | Tata Steel S.C. | Glen Wilbraham | (DSQ) | 12 | 8 | 9 | 29 |
| 13th | Merlin | 4355 | Tata Steel S.C. | Dave Williams | ‑16 | 15 | 11 | 13 | 39 |
| 14th | ffirst off | 5263 | Tata Steel S.C. | Harri Bennett | 13 | 14 | 14 | (RET) | 41 |
| 15th | | 4780 | Tata Steel S.C. | Mike Murrey | 12 | 13 | (DNC) | DNC | 46 |
| 16th | | 4056 | Tata Steel S.C. | Paul Tugwel | 15 | 16 | 15 | (RET) | 46 |
| 17th | | 4169 | Tata Steel S.C. | Bill Millien | (RET) | RET | 16 | 14 | 51 |
| 18th | | 5207 | Tata Steel S.C. | John Rischmiller | 17 | 17 | (RET) | DNC | 55 |
| 19th | | 4621 | Tata Steel S.C. | Jeff Hughes | 14 | (RET) | DNC | DNC | 56 |
| 20th | | 5050 | Tata Steel S.C. | Nicolas King | (DNS) | DNC | DNC | DNC | 63 |