Please select your home edition
Edition
Allen Brothers

Solo Midland Area Open at Chelmarsh Sailing Club, sponsored by Allen

by Maria E. Franco 10 Sep 2022 15:22 BST 3 September 2022
Solo Midland Area Open at Chelmarsh © Chelmarsh SC

It was an early start for some us, driving about 100 miles, but that didn't matter, I was excited to be back on the road after two months from our last Midlands series event in Shustoke early on July; I was glad with the idea of a decent forecast of 11 to 15 knots and still warm September morning.

This is my first year in the Solo fleet and racing, but there is such a good energy at this meetings that I don't mind all the packing and unpacking, every event is a joy to me. I don't think a year ago when around this time the Solo fleet at Northampton SC convince me to try out the club Solo, that I would be buying my Solo a couple months after that and that shortly after I would be out on the road visiting different club and meeting a lovely bunch of people. I remember the first race at Banbury never had packed/ unpacked my boat, and never had tow a boat before, but I been very lucky to never been short to find help from everyone in the fleet to encourage me to take part.

Anyway enough of me and back to Chelmarsh, I arrived there about 9am, and I was happy to see faces I know already there, Kev Hall, Chris Brown, Jon Woodward and our host Matt Robinson, fleet captain at Chelmarsh, who was very kind to help me put my mast up. I was very pleased to meet Tracey (Chelmarsh) and Anna (Shropshire) and to learn they would also be sailing! It is a little intimidating to be the only women out there, so that raised my spirits. As soon as the boat was set up the lovely smell of bacon butty invited us to move to the club house.

Briefing at 10:30 by PRO Tom Dickinson, gave us all the details about how the day would run and then shortly after twenty sailors set off into the water.

The first race started smoothly, and very quickly we saw Martin H, Kev Hall, Chris Brown, Alex Alcock and the two Jon's take the lead.... I saw them from a distance but was pleased to be leading between the ladies. The wind was shifting so often that kept us on our feet trying to be on the right place at right time. Martin finished first followed by Kev.

The second race had a general recall, and after re-locating the committee boat to adjust to the ever changing wind direction, race two took place. We saw same the group leading the race, but this time Kev was better placed than Martin on a wind shift as they approached the finish line which gave him a win. From the ladies group, Tracey had the lead. We had our break for lunch, and a lot of happy faces jumped to the sight of cake:) I have to say, it was great idea to add breakfast and lunch together with the entry fee.

We were ready at 2:15 back in the water to start our last race of the day with no recalls. Conditions remained very shifty and the wind had pick up a bit. Similar to the previous two races we had the same group at the front except for Kev who missed his spot at the start and after a couple hiccups on the way decided it was best to go back to set up the prizes... Martin H. won the last race followed closely by Chris B and Alex Alcock; in the ladies group Tracey again took the lead for race 3.

Prize Winner:

Spot prizes
First open meeting helming: Anna Nankervis (Shropshire)
First Chelmarsh: Jonathan Carter (Chelmarsh)

Club prizes
First wooden: Lee Nankervis (Shropshire)
First Lady: Tracey Hanan (Chelmarsh)

1st place: Martin Honnor (Ogston)
2nd place: Kev Hall (Northampton)
3rd place Chris Brown (RYA)

Massive thank you to our PRS, Tom Dickinson and Will Ramson for setting up good courses on very changing conditions, safety boat team Frank & Ewan Whitley, Philip Griffin and Martin a smith for keeping an eye on us, and to the great team in the galley Linda Thursfield, Sally Fowler, Mary Andrews and Karen Whitehpuse for looking after us at breakfast, lunch and the bar after the race.

Overall Results:

PosSail NoHelmClubR1R2R3Pts
1st5880Martin HonnorOgston1‑212
2nd5524Kev HallNorthampton21(DNF)3
3rd6022Chris BrownRYA3‑425
4th4529Alex AlcockLeigh & Lowton4‑537
5th6004Jonathan WoodwardSouth Staffs‑6347
6th530Jonathan CarterChelmarsh5‑8510
7th5210Neil WilkinsonChase‑76612
8th5740Mike CosseyShustoke87‑1015
9th5888Phil ProctorChester‑1411718
10th4774Neil ThorntonChelmarsh11‑14819
11th6029Matt RobinsonChelmarsh10‑18919
12th4705Mike WhitehouseChelmarsh910‑1519
13th5640David ThursfieldChelmarsh‑1891120
14th4139Lee NankervisShropshire‑15121224
15th5098Richard HoltChelmarsh1213(DNC)25
16th4437Tony HotchkissSouth Staffs13‑161326
17th5349Tracey HananChelmarsh‑19151429
18th5675Maria FrancoNorthampton16‑171632
19th4958Paul BartelsChelmarsh17‑191734
20th3969Anna NankervisShropshire‑20201838

Related Articles

Solo class Thames Valley Series at Island Barn
The day concluded with a traditional cream tea during the prize-giving ceremony The Island Barn Reservoir Solo Open, part of the Thames Valley Series, took place under ideal autumn conditions. The reservoir welcomed 16 competitors, with five representing the home club and others travelling from clubs as far as Salcombe Bay. Posted on 6 Oct
Singlehander open meeting at Notts County
40 boats take part, with a strong Solo fleet The Notts County single handed Open was held in the last weekend in September for RS600, Aero and Solos saw over forty boats taking part with the largest fleet being Solos at the Allen Midland Area Solo Championship. Posted on 5 Oct
Solo class Scottish Travellers at Dalgety Bay
Spending a lot of time trying to find clear wind up the beats The Scottish Solo fleet gathered at Dalgety Bay on September 28 for the last in the HD Sails Scottish Solo travellers series of 2024. The club is situated on the north shore of the Forth opposite Edinburgh. Posted on 3 Oct
Early Autumn Select One Design Maximum Discount
Great savings on sails and covers at Hyde Sails, orders must be placed by 30th September Hyde Sails One-Design Sails have had another successful season on the water, we are currently offering a maximum autumn discount period for select classes allowing for great savings on sails and covers. Posted on 27 Sep
GBR sailors at the Solo class Dutch Nationals
Any of the four UK competitors would happily take a top ten finish The UK Solo Special Forces arrived in Muiden with a mission to try and retrieve some pride and hopefully the Open Dutch Championship title, possibly a canal bridge too far but any of the four UK competitors would happily take a top ten finish. Posted on 27 Sep
Leigh & Lowton Solo Open
A testing, building breeze on a sunny autumn day Twenty Solos enjoyed champagne sailing on the Northern circuit at Leigh and Lowton SC on an increasingly sunny autumn day. Posted on 26 Sep
HD Sails Scottish Solo Travellers at Loch Tummel
Held as part of the club's autumn regatta The latest event in the HD Sails Scottish Solo travellers took place at Loch Tummel as part of the club's autumn regatta. Posted on 20 Sep
Gill Solo Inland Championship at Grafham
Well done to Chris Clarke and team for managing to get two races in Fortunately the fleet is filled with sailors with either failed relationships or partners keen to get rid of them for two days so close to forty have entered. Posted on 9 Sep
Gill Solo Inland Championship preview
Many couples up and down the country may be lying in bed having similar conversations I turned to my long suffering wife, "it's the Gill Solo Inlands next week" I whispered, "a two day Championship on some lovely flat water and...". I imagine many couples up and down the country were lying in bed having similar conversations. Posted on 4 Sep
HD Sails Scottish Solo Championships at Largo Bay
A club renowned for its waves and sunshine certainly delivered both This year the HD Sails Scottish Solo Championships was held at Largo Bay on the east coast. This is a club renowned for its waves and sunshine and we certainly got both on Saturday. It was shorts and sun cream weather as we rigged up. Posted on 4 Sep