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Firefly Vines Series Open at West Oxfordshire Sailing Club

by Jono Pank 22 Oct 2024 09:22 BST 19-20 October 2024
Firefly Vines Series Open at West Oxfordshire Sailing Club © Stewart Eaton

The annual Firefly open meeting at WOSC took place over the weekend 19th & 20th October. The event really was a game of two halves. Saturday provided beautiful sunshine & a pleasant force 1-3, allowing the full 5 races to be completed (with a half-time break for the included lunch) taking in the full extent of the lake.

WOSC is never a venue to grant a "safe place" and the fleet franticly jostled for positions throughout the days racing.

At the end of day 1, Jono Pank & Jo Mason sailing F4400, Swaggle, managed to peak at the right time in the races to take 5 wins. James Ball & Tristan in F3554, Stringa held 2nd ahead of James Nicholl & Bea Burrows in F4125, Thresdar, who were tied on points with Jonny Bickford & Rachel Crebbin sailing F3616 Top Dolly.

The fleet then retired into an awesome evening of WOSC hospitality commencing with a fish & chip supper, discovering the Sebi is a pool hustler and ending up a bit dark & stormy...

Stormy was a particularly pertinent term considering Sunday's forecast, and the fleet arose to a scattering of rain & a very solid breeze.

The SE breeze enabled a very simple (and exceedingly unusual for WOSC) windward / leeward course to be set for 5 "sprint races".

Much excitement was had across the fleet with 5 quick fire races, a few swims and one broken mast. The tired fleet returned to shore to be treated with to a lavish WOSC lunch, tea, cake and even free beer!

The race winners on Sunday were Jono & Jo and James & Bea.

James Nichols & Bea Burrows sailing the composite F4125 "Thresdar", deservedly took the victory in the "All to count" Sunday Sprint Race series.

Jono Pank & Jo Mason took the overall event win in the Ovington build F4400, Swaggle.

Overall Results:

1st F4400 Jono Pank & Jo Mason
2nd F4125 James Nicholls & Bea Burrows
3rd F3554 James Ball & Tristan
4th F3616 Jonny Bickford & Rachel Crebbin
5th F3625 Sebi Schmidt & Lorelei Bates

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