Please select your home edition
Edition
Leaderboard FD July August September 2023

Solo class Northern Area Championships at Ogston Sailing Club

by Innes Armstrong 15 May 10:03 BST 11-12 May 2024
Solo Northern Area Championships at Ogston © Phil Hind

Sponsored by Winder Boats, Impact Marine and NSCA

Round 2 of the Northern Series took place at Ogston Sailing Club in Derbyshire and this event was given the prestige of being the Northern Area Championships. Fifteen visitors joined the eight home boats and all were welcomed to glorious sunshine and winds of 5 - 9mph. The briefing was given by the PRO, explaining the position of the buoys and all the usual details, the intention being to sail a six-race series with 5 to count. Four races planned for the Saturday and two for the Sunday morning.

So to race 1, the line was set fair and there didn't appear to be a favoured end, the sailors behaved themselves and got away first time. The usual suspects of the northern series, Armstrong and Honnor were 1st and 2nd to the windward mark followed by local sailor Russel Short and Steve Denison, with the rest of the fleet battling to find clear air. As the race continued, Armstrong pulled out a sizable lead only for the wind to die and fill in from the back allowing a raft of boats to swamp Armstrong - going from 1st to 4th in a matter of seconds. This allowed Short to gain the lead which he held to the finish. Coming in 2nd was Denison followed by Chris Gillard and Armstrong.

The intention was to hold two races back-to-back in the morning but the wind died to almost nothing and the PRO made the welcomed call to go in for lunch.

Race 2 followed, and the wind played ball, picking back up to slightly stronger the morning's race. Using the same course it was again the usual suspects at the front trying to find the clean lane. Close racing ensued throughout the fleet with all sailors trying hard on the downwind legs to create wind shadows and gain water at the various marks. Honnor took the win, followed by Andy Carter, Denison then Armstrong.

Race 3 quickly followed, one casualty was caught OSC at the start, Russel Short from the home club. At the front this time we saw a new face, Richard Instone from Chase SC, who made his way nicely up the first beat to lead at the windward mark, a lead he didn't relinquish. Another new face, Ted Garner (Budworth) in his new boat found himself in 2nd followed by Denison and Armstrong.

After three races there were three different race winners and seven different names with a top three position, would we add any more?

Race 4 started with Armstrong and Instone over the line, and after going back found themselves languishing near the rear of the fleet. Local sailor Simon Law, in a considerably older boat then the rest of the fleet, found himself at the front and used all his local knowledge to pull away from the rest of the fleet, winning quite considerably. Coming in 2nd was Gillard followed by Short, Honnor and Davenport in a hard fought 5th.

So after day one and 4 races, we had four different winners. Steve Denison held the overnight lead with fairly consistent results.

The solo sailors that stayed enjoyed an excellent evening meal, prepared and served by Andrea and Kerry and sponsored by the class association. We all sat around the table together and had a lovely time mulling over the day's events.

Sunday dawned and we awoke to a rather grey day and slightly colder temps - warmer tops would be necessary. The wind had changed direction and so required a start line round the corner and towards the bottom of the lake. There was all to play for... two races to go and it could be anyone's!

Race 5 got under way with a big wind shift just as the gun sounded, this allowed those that started at the pin end to tack and sail in clear air up the first beat. At the windward mark it was Short followed by Honnor then Armstrong & Dension. Short managed to keep clear whilst those behind jostled for clear air, allowing Short to pull away and take the win (his second bullet of the series). Armstrong was 2nd followed by Honnor and Carter.

It would come down to the last race with the sailors in the mix trying to work out who had what, and where they needed to be. Russel Short at this stage had the OCS in the back of his mind and Armstrong's discard was a RTD.

The stage was set for the final race and those that were in the hunt found themselves at the pointy end on the first beat apart from Short who didn't get a particularly good start. That left 4 boats in the main battle. Getting to the windward mark proved tricky - to come in on starboard or port? Both sides seemed to pay equally well on every lap and so changing places throughout the fleet was the order of the day. The last beat saw Carter making Honnor do turns just before the finish, thereby Carter taking the finish followed by Gillard, then Honnor and Armstrong.

Nobody could quite work out who'd won the event, so it was left to Sailwave to do the maths, as it turned out, Honnor took 1st overall with Gillard taking 2nd and Armstrong 3rd.

Honnor took home the coveted Northern Trophy for the second year running!

Overall Results:

PosSail NoHelmClubR1R2R3R4R5R6Pts
1st5880Martin HonnorOgston SC‑61543316
2nd6041Chris GillardSheffield Viking SC35‑725217
3rd5813Innes ArmstrongBurwain SC444(RET)2418
4th5615Andy CarterLeigh & Lowton SC‑92664119
5th6073Stephen DenisonRYA233‑86519
6th6014Russell ShortOgston SC17(OCS)31921
7th6076Richard InstoneChase SC‑119198633
8th4528Simon LawOgston SC56‑131121337
9th5312Stuart NorrisShropshire SC7‑109771040
10th6107Ted GarnerBudworth SC‑18821014842
11th6066Tim WadeLymington Town SC101112‑1313753
12th4715Justine DavenportBurwain SC1314145‑181157
13th5565Oliver LawOgston SC121381215‑1660
14th5617Stephen RestallElton SC15‑191114101262
15th4389Mark BlackhamChase SC161510‑1791565
16th5837Linda InstoneChase SC14121511‑171466
17th5008Nick BrookHollingworth SC81618(DNS)11RET77
18th5163Ken MackenzieOgston SC‑20201615191989
19th5006Mike HeapOgston SC(DNC)17171616RET90
20th4642Martin ClowesOtley SC1918‑2218201893
21st5325Bryce HowardOgston SC172120(RET)211796
22nd4955Trish BlackhamChase SC2123211922(DNS)106
23rd5081John MannOgston SC222219(DNS)DNSDNS111

Related Articles

Budworth Solo Open
Penultimate Northern Series event of 2024 Four intrepid travellers and an enthusiastic turnout of ten home club Solos (14 total) braved the 20-plus knot gust forecast to compete for the penultimate Northern Series Solo Open meeting at Budworth SC, in the heart of Cheshire. Posted today at 5:45 am
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