Solo Midland Series draws to a close at Staunton Harold Sailing Club

Solo Midland Series draws to a close at Staunton Harold © Grahame Smith

After losing over 50% of our water in 2018 it was good to welcome visiting boats with a brim full reservoir and a dry day. Even more importantly a good breeze promised great sailing for the 2019 Solo Open and Midland Series finale at Staunton on 19th October.

The duty team did a great job of setting the start lines such that we had no recalls for the three races. There was a pattern set from race one with the first four boats breaking away from the pack. This group constantly changed places all day, never sailing more than a few boat lengths apart.

Race 1 saw Martin Honnor (Grafham Water) get into the lead and and hold off Alan Bishop (Girton) and Ian Ingram (Earlswood Lake). It was all to sail for on the last leg with just a short blast to the gate finish. Alan tacked and Martin covered but Ian sailed on. It seemed Martin would win, but he slowed up in the last few boat lengths. Ian got an extra boost at the leeward end and took the win by half a boat length, leaving Alan in third.

After an excellent lunch prepared by Laser fleet sailors, Grahame and Nathan Smith, race 2 started. The rain held off and the breeze got stronger. Again the same four sailors broke away from the rest of the fleet, with places being traded constantly between them. At the end Alan crossed the line with Martin, and Staunton sailor Tim Gray close behind.

This left an exciting start to race 3, with everything to sail for and any of the top four boats. A win in this final race, would then potentially secure an overall win and the trophy for the winning sailor. The course was set with a long beat diagonally up the reservoir Martin, Alan and Ian were never more than a few boat lengths apart but the shifty wind off the Calke Abbey hill meant positions were constantly changing.

Alan managed to edge ahead to get the win with Martin and Ian overlapped on the line and a second and third respectively. So Alan, with two bullets took the overall win, with Ian taking second on count back from Martin lost out with three second place spots.

A big thank you to all the visiting Solo sailors, out home sailors and the duty team.

Overall Results: