Miracle Northern Championship at Delph Sailing Club

Jack Hopkins with Will Dyson (3835) in his first competitive event during the Miracle Northern Championship © Valerie Reddecliffe

The Beast from the East was a distant memory on these two warm, sunny days as twelve Miracles launched each day to compete in light winds and cloudless skies for the 'Northerns' Trophy.

No wild waves to fight, nor heavy winds to counter, no screaming reaches needing a rapid jump into action to avoid regrettable confrontations – ours were conditions where the experienced helms made subtle adjustments and stealthy calculated tactics to prove that they did in fact justify their reputation for being the consistently best sailors in their clubs. Indeed they did just that – unable to leave the whole fleet floundering away behind, the first two races saw the lead boats taking advantage of every little change in conditions to eke out their hard won distance ahead of the string of competitors [pretty much neatly aligned in two groups astern] providing the spectators near the clubhouse, including some newly joined membership and would-be sailors with a demonstration of "how it is done" that would have gladdened the heart of any sailing instructor!

Delph Northern Championship at Delph - photo © Val Reddicliffe

Strengthening this easily visible demonstration [the 1st windward mark chanced to be right in front of the clubhouse] it was also recognised that many of the competitor crew were youngsters [indeed helm Leah Murphy was but 12yr old?], all clearly enjoying themselves. The more aware could realize that in "whispy" winds a lightweight sailor also provided a distinct advantage!

In the first race, no sooner had the decision to shorten course and set the finish line been taken, the wind stabilised and strengthened to allow Jack Hopkins / William Dyson [aged 12] (3835) to cream in on a tight tack for an easy first place with brother Simon Evans and sister Ruth (2772) not far behind and Wayne Atherton & Angela Sweeney (3383) similarly spaced coming 3rd. The rest of the fleet made for a timely regular finishing gun until the last two competitors who vied to almost tie for 11th place.

The second race started in square-one winds with a perhaps-inspired 2772 establishing an early lead which was eventually nibbled away by Wayne (3383) who was in turn troubled by Louis Moulden (4100) for a while, though a subsequent hole in the wind saw a large disarray as just three boats escaped to become a leg of the course each apart...

Luke Tonge from Port Dinarwic crews for Louis Moulden during the Miracle Northern Championship - photo © Valerie Reddecliffe

It was Wayne who took the honours with Simon a frustrating second and Jack Hopkins some extra two minutes or more arriving in third place. By this time the remaining boats had regained power and were pressing on towards the finish line to complete their race.

But everyone got a suntan at least, and enjoyed the usual tasty Miracle Barbecue that evening!

Sunday racing got off to a slightly more promising start with over-eager competitors triggering a general recall to start with. The subsequent start was orderly and the expected pecking order was fairly soon established other than Ian Brown with daughter Lilly somehow mixing it with the leading pack. It took unto the end of the second lap of the course for Jack to actually claw his way into first position (lapping the last boat in the process) to just stay ahead of Wayne across the finish line as Karen Taylor/ William aged 7yr (3825) then stole 3rd place from Ian Brown/Lilly aged 9yr (4098) who were both delighted nevertheless! Miracles 3796, 4100 & 4110 slipped over the line in very close proximity [pity the judge to get the order correct] with (662) harrying the group and the rest of the fleet following through in a good neat alignment. The last boat finished the race in record time for a lap of the course by a significant degree! (Sunday lunch beckoned?)

Delph Northern Championship at Delph - photo © Val Reddicliffe

The fourth race saw an improved wind at force 2/3 (though a slew in direction from both original and second start lines delayed sailing as the original line was restored) but a clean start with more confident sailing showed as good progress was made by all 12 boats concerned. But wait! We have a capsize right in front of the crowd. Hooray! But all is well and here is how to get a boat mast vertical again. Demonstration by (4022). All seems OK! Pity that they decided to retire some time later...By now the other 11 Miracles are somewhat spread out and whilst there are perhaps a couple of position changes most are speeding their way to the finish line led by Jack Hopkins.

The last race (No.5) only had a fleet of eight boats competing in a stronger wind with Louis retiring after completing lap1 and Deborah (3657) not giving in to a very heavy swamping and frantic bailing out session to remain in the race and looked to catching (4098) who was having a private competition with Wendy Geddes (3678) near the back of the fleet. The front group were racing nicely with a decent bow wave each, like Miracles ought to have, to achieve the results as under!

Overall Results:

Delph Northern Championship at Delph - photo © Val Reddicliffe