Noble Marine Lightning 368 Travellers' Series at Haversham Sailing Club

Haversham Ligthtning 368 Open © John Butler

Paul White wins the Haversham Ligthtning 368 Open © John Butler

Jeremy Cooper finishes 2nd in the Haversham Ligthtning 368 Open © John Butler

Ten visitors travelled from far and wide to join with the two local boats at this favourite location near Milton Keynes.

The racing was held in conjunction with the Streaker Class Open Meeting, on a beautiful sunny day with a reasonable Force 3 breeze, occasionally testing the competitors with stronger gusts and big shifts, with the trees on the east bank leading to some challenging sailing around the windward marks close to that side of the lake.

Race 1

Caroline Hollier led most of the way in a nip and tuck battle with Jeremy Cooper and Paul White. Further back, Jason Gallagher and John Butler were a distant 4th & 5th. Jason made impressive gains on the leaders offwind and started to threaten the established order. In a stunning turn of speed on the last lap, Jason passed both Paul and Caroline, whilst Jeremy worked his way to the front and held it to the finish. Brian Westley had his best race result in 5th, displacing John with a lap to go.

Race 2

Paul cleared off into the distance with Jeremy in pursuit, whilst Jason and Ian Ranson were having their own personal battle immediately behind them. Caroline was some way adrift at this point, but in a surge on the 2nd lap Caroline slipped past the 2 northern protagonists and set off after Paul & Jeremy. She didn't quite get back to Jeremy at the finish, but was closing fast. Jason won the War of the Roses and claimed 4th ahead of Ian.

Race 3

After a load of confusion caused by an individual recall of the earlier starting Streaker fleet, and the abandonment of the first starting attempt for the Lightnings due to a technical issue, Paul had a peach of a pin end start, closely followed by John & Jason.

Jeremy and Caroline got blocked on the line by the earlier-starting leading Streakers, who were lapping through the line at just the wrong moment, and found themselves back in the mid-fleet of the Lightnings, surrounded by Streakers, when they arrived at the windward mark.

This allowed John to get away clear into 2nd for a lap or so before Jeremy caught him and planed ahead downwind. Further on into the race John came under pressure from both Jason and Martin Evans. Jason got through on the last lap for 3rd, but John held on to 4th with Caroline only recovering to 6th behind Martin.

Paul White was therefore the winner overall, but with a 2nd place, the ever-consistent Jeremy Cooper still heads up the Noble Marine Insurance Travellers Trophy series with only two events left to go.

Thanks go the Race Officer Vic Hardingham, Julie Wilson, Chris Hughes and the Haversham Team for a thoroughly enjoyable day's racing.

Overall Results: