Supernova Inland Championship at Blithfield Sailing Club

by Cliff Milliner 17 Sep 2018 22:01 BST 15-16 September 2018

The Supernova Inland Championships was held on the weekend of the 14th Sept at Blithfield SC.

Saturday saw a windier than expected start to the first race, with Alex Horlock winning the pin end and leading the way from a tight pack of Gibson, Bigg, Workman. These five pulled away, and as the wind dropped off the RO shortened course at one on the windward legs, this caught out Milliner dropping from third to sixth. It was a tight finish with the Race going to Horlock, then Young and Gibson.

Race 2. The wind was still dropping, Gibson, Milliner and Steve Hawley sailed into more pressure from the pin end and lead the way to the top mark. This was followed by a long slow run the entire length of the reservoir enabling Young to pull through back to fourth. The RO took pity and finished the fleet after only one lap with the order unchanged.

Race 3. The pin end looked good again but as the wind veered Hawley and Milliner showed how to sail yourself to the very back of the fleet, eventually ending up almost last by then bottom mark whilst being joyfully serenaded by Bolton's Frank McMullen. The leaders were so far away I have no idea what happened but I know it was slow going and again a very tight finish. Local sailor Phil Mason took the win from Gibson and Horlock, with Young losing out several places right on the line. This left Gibson at the top over night with a very consistent 3,1,2.

The class held their AGM and Blithfield laid on a lovely meal followed by some entertaining drinking games.

Next day an early start saw a nice building breeze with the RO setting a great course that gave opportunities for close racing.

Race 4. Milliner and Flitcroft broke away to lead at the top Mark. After much discussion at the next mark Flitcroft went the wrong side and had a long way to return. Milliner pulled away in a big gust on the reach for the win as the pack fought for positions behind. As they crossed the line 2-4 were all together, with Gibson grabbing second from Young on the line and Richard Lambert from Boughbeech having a great race to come in fourth.

Race 5. Milliner again popped out of the pack up the middle of the beat and held a nice lead, followed by the pack. There were lots of opportunities to gain and lose as the wind shifted around in the large gusts. Young and Biggs closed right up on Milliner at the last bottom mark and made the last beat a leg busting tussle. As the RO moved the committee boat for the finish it was Milliner who chose the right end of the line just piping Young and Biggs.

Race 6. A big left shift on the first beat meant the port end starters lead there way around. There was a tight group of Young, Horlock, Gibson, Hawley. With Milliner back in the pack. Young and Horlock pulled away having their own close battle with the pack chasing hard. Milliner caught a nice shift on the left of the last beat to close right up on the battle at the front and managed to sail very low on the reach to split the pair. Again, the finish was very tight with just metres in it. Young took the win from Milliner then Horlock.

With Young and Milliner tied on 12 points it was Milliner who took the title from Young courtesy of having one more race win, with Gibson in third, Horlock fourth and Biggs fifth. Everyone had a great weekend sailing and with every race going down to the wire, the closeness of the racing shows the competitive nature of the class.

Thanks to Phil Mason and all his duty team at Blithfield for putting on a great championship.

Overall Results:

Pos	Sail No	Helm	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Nt Pts
1	1190	Cliff Milliner	Cotswold SC	6	2	‑24	1	1	2	12
2	1192	Gavin Young	Cotswold SC	2	4	‑7	3	2	1	12
3	1127	Mike Gibson	Bartley	3	1	2	2	‑6	6	14
4	1060	Alex Horlock	Exe	1	‑21	3	5	7	3	19
5	1175	Matt Biggs	Blithfield	4	6	8	‑15	3	4	25
6	1133	Steve Hawley	Bartley	7	3	‑23	7	4	5	26
7	1066	Phil Mason	Blithfield	‑12	11	1	6	5	7	30
8	1036	Colin Anderson	Blithfield	11	8	6	8	‑13	9	42
9	1071	Andy Flitcroft	Bolton	8	9	9	‑18	11	8	45
10	1184	Garry Butterfield	Bartley	17	5	5	12	8	‑19	47
11	1059	Richard Lambert	Boughbeech	15	12	11	4	‑17	11	53
12	1217	Ray Workman	Cotswold SC	5	16	‑25	13	9	10	53
13	1189	Tom Chadfield	Blithfield	13	10	10	14	16	‑18	63
14	1160	Paul Undrell	Cotswold SC	9	‑25	12	9	18	16	64
15	1203	Steve Johnson	Cotswold SC	(DNF)	7	14	11	21	15	68
16	1145	Peter May	Bolton	10	‑28	26	20	10	12	78
17	576	Clive Brown	Bolton	16	‑20	19	17	15	14	81
18	1141	Ellen Clancy	Cotswold SC	21	‑26	15	10	14	22	82
19	1077	Kevin Last	Attenborough	(DNF)	32	21	16	12	21	102
20	1223	Jon Pebody	Hunts	‑39	15	29	22	26	13	105
21	1090	Ian Barlow	Burton	27	‑36	16	23	22	20	108
22	1171	Mark Meadows	Burton	19	27	13	29	24	(DNC)	112
23	1121	Martin Barrett	Ripon	18	24	30	21	19	(DNC)	112
24	1099	Peter Housley	Sutton‑in‑Ashfield	‑36	29	4	28	25	28	114
25	1057	Ian Casewell	Cotswold SC	30	30	‑31	24	20	24	128
26	1043	Richard Storey	Cotswold SC	29	23	27	27	‑33	26	132
27	706	Ed Johnson	Girton	22	31	‑34	25	32	23	133
28	679	S Blair	Beaver	33	17	‑35	31	28	27	136
29	582	Amie King	Girton	28	‑38	32	26	23	31	140
30	1224	Chris Hawley	Bartley	14	19	18	(DNS)	DNS	DNC	145
31	1083	Serena Stewardson	Emberton Park	34	34	17	35	‑36	29	149
32	1130	Nick Whiles	Attenborough	26	‑42	33	38	27	25	149
33	1062	Andrew Goodman	Attenborough	20	43	40	(DNS)	30	17	150
34	1161	Dan Rule	Carsington	37	14	‑41	36	31	34	152
35	1168	John Wahpole	Exe	25	37	28	19	(DNS)	DNC	156
36	1134	Tom Baldwin	Carsington	31	35	‑37	34	34	32	166
37	1177	Pete Bingham	Bowmoor	(DNF)	33	36	30	35	33	167
38	1159	Phil Davies	Scammonden Water	23	40	39	37	29	(DNC)	168
39	1180	David Stephen	Bartley	32	‑44	38	33	37	30	170
40	1068	Frank McMullen	Bolton	(DNF)	13	22	DNS	DNS	DNC	176
41	603	David Moore	Blithfield	24	39	20	(DNS)	DNS	DNC	177
42	1082	Andy Chadfield	Blithfield	35	22	44	32	(DNS)	DNC	180
43	598	John Human	PSC	38	41	‑43	39	38	35	191
44	1139	Dana Church	Notts	(DNF)	18	DSQ	DNS	DNS	DNC	206
45	707	Ian White	EPSC	40	45	45	(DNS)	DNS	DNC	224
46	1191	Rachel Vaughan‑Johns	Bowmoor	(DNS)	DNS	42	DNS	DNS	DNC	230

Silver Fleet winner - Phil Mason (7th overall)
1st Lady – Ellen Clancy (18th overall)
1st Mk1 – Clive Brown (17th overall)
1st Master – Mike Gibson
1st Veteran – Tom Chadfield