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Sailing Chandlery Enterprise National Circuit and Winter Championships at Northampton Sailing Club

by Steve Sargent, Callum Dingle & Nick Jackson 15 Nov 2018 10:50 GMT 3-4 November 2018
Jeremy and Becca Stephens win the Enterprise Winter Championships at Northampton © Callum Dingle

A great season finish for this year's Enterprise National Circuit sponsored by Sailing Chandlery comprising nine venues around the Regions, ranging from St Mary's Loch in Scotland to Looe and Penzance in Cornwall. Ten events in total as the Final Event counts with double points, with five results to count. Coupled with the Winter Championships sixteen entrants braved the elements.

With strong winds forecast throughout the week leading up to the Championship there were some doubts as to whether there would be any racing on Saturday. These doubts were soon set aside when all arrived at a sunny Pitsford Lake.

With wind speeds ranging between 12 and 20 knots, but increasing during the afternoon, there was some great racing.

Race 1 saw the fleet away at the first attempt, under the U flag. Phil and Laura Bevan rounding Mark 1 first, the rest of the fleet neck and neck for the first round, running to the gybe mark 8 abreast. Iaon Lavery and Chris Keatley broke free into second and went hunting for the lead. Next were Jeremy and Becca Stephens who stayed ahead of Nick Jackson and Laurence Dorr until taking a swim at the gybe mark next time round. Ioan and Chris overhauled the Bevans, who fought back to retake the lead on the final reach to secure the win. Iaon lost Chris overboard on the short beat to the finish, though recovered him quickly to remain in second. Nick and Laurence kept clear of the fleet to close out in third.

With the breeze freshening race 2 was equally challenging. Paul Hobson and Natalie Roach played the left side of the beat to lead well clear at mark 1. Jer and Becca arrived second with Sarge and Callum Dingle close behind in third. The downwind legs didn't suit Sarge and Callum as they admitted to carrying a bit too much holiday flubber. Tim Sadler and Gabe Hill slipped through to third with the Bevans quick to follow. Despite Sarge and Callum pulling Tim and the Bevans back on the beats, they couldn't keep their place downwind. Paul and Natalie kept a covering eye on Jer and Becca to close out the win with Tim and Gabe completing the top three.

The breeze continued to freshen for race 3 with long gusts at the upper end of the 20's. The Lark fleet enjoying their own carnage-strewn event have claimed the top gust was 35kts. Tim's shiny new Rondar Mk3 was looking good as he and Gabe built a strong lead until the main halyard failed. Clearly this shouldn't happen on a new boat but when Tim confessed the only thing he had changed was the halyard then maybe the DIY wire splice was to blame. Jer and Becca gunned it up the next beat staying clear ahead, Paul and Natalie worked up to second to swim just before the mark. The Bevans were well poised to take that second place, while Ann Jackson and Alan Skeens sailed well to take a strong third.

Despite a hard days racing, everyone had enough energy to enjoy a great Saturday evening social. There was a seemingly never-ending firework display followed by a lively disco with the DJ goaded into putting on a few extra tunes to take us past midnight. As usual the Enterprises outlasted all the National 12 and Lark fleet sailors having their own End-of-Season events on this same weekend.

Sunday began with occasional drizzle and light, variable winds, giving plenty of opportunity for snakes and ladders. The fourth race saw surprisingly the only general recall of the weekend. The first run saw virtually the whole fleet rafted up in the scramble for an inside overlap at the bottom mark but 2017 National Champions Jer and Becca emerged unscathed to win their second race in succession showing their mastery of both heavy and light conditions. Ioan and Chris worked through to take another second and Martin Honnor and Natalie Smith took third to record their only podium finish of the weekend.

In the fifth race Tim and Gabe shook off their hangovers to show their class with an emphatic bullet with old timer Nick Jackson finally showing some form to take second ahead of a close battle between the main contenders for the trophy Jer and Becca and Phil and Laura. With one race to go Phil was 3 points ahead without a discard but Jer was 2 points ahead with a discard in place – all to play for in the last race!

The sixth start saw Nick and Laurence make the most of the windshifts from the middle of the line to gain a healthy lead at the first mark with Paul Young and Megan Ward in second ahead of the chasing pack. Both Jer and Phil were in contention for the first lap but Phil seemed to take a wrong turn during the second lap in patchy conditions slipping down the fleet and had to settle for a very creditable second overall. Nick and Laurence managed to hold off the fast closing Stephens family to round off a very good day in third overall (and well ahead of Mrs J for once). Third over the line was Paul Hobson and Natalie Roach with a late return of form to take fourth overall.

Jeremy and Becca duly rounded off an excellent series to take the overall prize for the Winter Champs, making it a worthwhile trip from distant Penzance.

With the Winters results added to the National Circuit running totals Tim Sadler with occasional crew daughter Hannah and Gabe already had their names engraved on the Trophy. Paul Hobson with Craig Wheatley and special guest Natalie are Runners up. Ann and Alan, third with Paul and Megan in fourth.

Thanks to sponsors Sailing Chandlery for providing the excellent prizes presented all through the fleet. This time we had prize winners in both the Under 16 and Under 21 categories. Thanks also to Northampton Sailing Club for hosting the Event, with First Class Race management, magnificent catering and robust bar staff.

Winter Championship Results:

PosSail NoBoatHelmCrewClubR1R2R3R4R5R6Pts
1st22652Thats EntertainmentJer StephensBecca StephensPenzance‑92114210
2nd22439FloozyPhil BevanLaura BevanGrafham14243‑914
3rd23015Wedg ENick JacksonLaurence DorrBurghfield386‑92120
4th23421MargrestPaul HobsonNat RoachLooe415‑1210323
5th23311igam ogamIoan LaveryChris KeatleyPenarth27(RET)29626
6th23349To Infirmity and BeyondAnn JacksonAlan SkeensBurghfield‑76365727
7th23422 Tim SadlerGabe HillLeigh & Louton53(RET)141528
8th22619Riot VanMartin HonnorNatalie SmithOgston69(DNC)37429
9th23443Wannabe RedJonathan WoodwardThomas DorrSouth Staffs‑1111456834
10th22501Blue JobAlice AllenJames HobsonBCYC‑12127781044
11th22762Churchfield IISteve SargentCallum DingleLooe8581514(DNC)50
12th23089Simply RedCharles MorrishAlison MorrishSt.Mary's Loch14‑14.598121154
13th22901Out of the BluePaul YoungOliver MasonMidland10101011‑131354
14th23351Big Summer Blow OutJohn AllenRayBCYC13131113(OCS)1262
15th23410WimpGes BrownJulie MooreSCYC(RET)DNCDNC1011RET72
16th19007 Mike Heap Ogston1514.5(DNC)DNCDNCDNC80.5

Sailing Chandlery National Circuit Overall Results:

PosSail NoHelmCrewBlith-fieldOgstonPenarthTyne-mouthSt Mary's LochLeigh & LowtonLooeNorth-ampton 1North-ampton 2Pts
1st23422Tim SadlerHannah Sadler31 121 ‑7‑78
2nd23421Paul HobsonCraig Wheatley4  2  24416
3rd23349Ann JacksonAlan Skeens661    6625
4th22901Paul YoungMegan Ward‑1283‑1097 ‑13‑1328
5th23410Ges BrownJulie Moore103  13 ‑151532
6th23443Jonathan WoodwardKaren Alexander   645 9933
7th23089Charles MorrishMarc Heger9  58  121246
8th19007Mike HeapSarah Rumball217  11  161671
9th22652Jeremy StephensBecca Stephens1     81180
10th22619Martin HonnorAbigal Honnor152     88102
11th22501Alice AllenChris Keatley16     91010114
12th22439Phil BevanLaura Bevan2      22144
13th23311Loan LaveryChris Keitley  2    55150
14th23015Nick JacksonChris Blundell8      33152
15th23411Richard PrykeAmelia Pryke11  45    158
16th22762Steve SargentEloise Jaycock      101111170
17th23351Johny AllenRay Toomer      71414173
18th22418Andy GommVictoria Gomm75       219
19th20673Alan Burton RobertsRhea Burton Roberts14    6   227
20th22114Loz YoungAlistair Middlemiss   1112    230
21st23163Richard DennyMaureen Denny   1215    234
22nd22199Peter MiddlemissRachel Middlemiss   1413    234
23rd21940Lorry YoungAmy Fayers   1616    239
24th22940Dave JackmanChris Jackman      1  277
25th23310Steve BlackburnIan Ritchie     2   278
26th22353Lloyd WalkerNigel James         278
27th23275Matt JaycockIvan Jaycock      3  279
28th20518Colin GardinerAnnabel Gardiner    3    279
29th22273Nathan BatchelorSarah Kincaid   3     279
30th23169Brian BowdlerEsther Bowdler      4  280
31st20754Dave SouthwellDanielle Booali     4   280
32nd23140Richard LeachChris Palmer  4      280
33rd23420Matt RawsonAlice Hedley Fenn 4       280
34th22166Joe JackmanJack Sargent      5  281
35th22946Martyn BromleySue Grant  5      281
36th22814Darren RoachNatalie Roach5        281
37th23347Callum DingleOllie Hawkins      6  282
38th22702Jane ScuttNick Scutt    6    282
39th23312Peter RendellHelen Cummins  6      282
40th22270Ali MorrishFi Foulkes    7    283
41st22272Charles AdamsMegan Adams   7     283
42nd22127Alan LattsClaire Griffiths  7      283
43rd23221Harvey LeighLewis Coop     8   284
44th20518Adam OvingtonOlly Whitling   8     284
45th22948Andrew AshworthJo Henderson     9   285
46th22695Alan BakerGill Kincaid   9     285
47th472Philip WilsonN Smith 9       285
48th22936Mark NeildAndy Clay     10   286
49th21820Gerry GoodfellowShona Redpath    10    286
50th22080Chris BridgeOliver Bridge 10       286
51st22130Tom LanghamConnor Langham      11  287
52nd472Philip WilsonRosie Wilson     11   287
53rd22754Rob HunterLee Purslow 11       287
54th19854Morgan SteeperAdam Hayler      12.5  288.5
54th23307Simon BennettJacob Owen      12.5  288.5
56th21635Mike ShipwayColin Edgar   13     289
57th22075Chris OwenPaul Owen13        289
58th2308Maggie EllisBob Ellis    14    290
59th22504Peter WilkesDavid Barnett   15     291
60th20907Nathan McMorranPiers Dobbie    17    293
61st22859Mary Jane PiperSam Heaney   17     293
62nd22322Keith TylerJackie Tyler17        293
63rd22112Marc HegerPhilip McMorran    18    294
64th18065Coll JohnsonPhil Butler   18     294
65th21315Molly NixonJames Hobson18        294
66th19546Philip CowansAnthony Walton   19     295
67th12483Daniel JohnsonLydia Barber19        295
68th23231Alex WaltonTaylor Berry20        296

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