Noble Marine Supernova Travellers' Series Open at Haversham Sailing Club
by Gavin Young 24 Oct 2020 07:32 BST
17 October 2020
Supernovas at Haversham © Will Willet
We had a great turn out of 26 competitors for the last Supernova 2020 Travellers' Series again sailed with COVID safe protocols. The day started with light 4 to 8 mph winds and spells of autumn sunshine making the conditions pleasant but a little slow - no hanging leg stretching stuff.
Race 1 started in light winds with a beat the length of the lake, 2 reaches and a long run with some gentle gusty puffs to allow some tactical sailing it was all set start.d
Undrell led off the line and pulled ahead to round the windward mark first followed by Goodwin, Young and Johnson. Undrell led down the first run but was passed at the leeward mark by Johnson, Goodwin and Young. Goodwin, Johnson and Young tussled up the beat with Young taking the lead half way up and pulling well ahead by the windward mark. Young pulled steadily ahead whilst Goodwin and Johnson swapped places all around the course with Goodwin in front at the last leeward mark. Race 1 finished Young, Goodwin, Johnson closely behind in 3rd and Lumb in 4th.
Everyone return to the shore for a socially distanced lunch which was served from a retro French catering van, coffee and cheese toasties all round, great idea for COVID safe outside dining, before heading back out onto the water for race 2.
Race 2 saw a change to the course with a long first beat and then a series of marks to provide several reaches and a short run. The wind conditions were very similar to race 1 with enough wind to keep moving.
The race got off to a clean start led by Goodwin followed by Young, Howett, Johnson and Lumb. Goodwin rounded the windward mark first followed closely by Young, the pair had already started to pull away from the fleet. Young launched several challenges but Goodwin managed to keep one step ahead until a puff of wind allowed Young to pass inside of Goodwin going into the leeward mark on the penultimate lap. Young extended a lead and after many place changes down the fleet the race finished with Young breaking the line first followed by Goodwin, Howett, Johnson and Undrell.
Race 3 was sailed back to back with a smaller course set due to the dying wind. The race started with some breeze, again the fleet got away with a clean start this time led by Young who had a reasonable led at the windward mark followed by Howett, Lumb, Johnson and Undrell. The changing conditions which were patches of mill pond mixed with very small puffs of wind saw many place changes with some new faces at the front. Young, having anchored up for a while was passed by Howett and now in amongst the front pack and a group being lapped. Young managed to take the lead from Howett at the leeward mark only to be overhaul by Howett on the last reach, both found themselves temporarily head to wind allowing Lumb to seek in to leeward and take the lead at the last mark. Race 3 finished with a new winner, Lumb taking the honours followed by Howett, Young, Malcom and Johnson.
Overall Results: (top five)
1st - Gavin Young
2nd - Alistair Goodwin
3rd - Adrian Lamb
4th - Bruce Howett
5th - Steve Johnson
The Supernova class would like to give a big thank you to Haversham for running this event with great organisation and COVID protocols everyone felt safe allowing some great outdoor healthy fun. A big thank you to Adrian Lumb who was the main organiser, the RO and his assistants who provided some great courses, the safety boat crews who's most exciting time was moving mark's efficiently before each start and the club as a whole for being so welcoming, it's always a great event and great opportunity to catch up with our sailing family for the end of the open series. We wish you all a happy and healthy winter and hope to see you at the Class Winter Championships in February... conditions allowing.