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Osprey Welsh & Midlands Championship 2025 at Tata Steel Sailing Club

by David Downs 15 Apr 15:10 BST 12-13 April 2025
Osprey Welsh & Midlands Championship at Tata Steel © Nick Dallimore

Thirteen Ospreys attended the season opener Midland and Welsh Championship at Tata Steel Sailing Club on the weekend of April 12th and 13th.

Saturday was always going to be difficult for Race Officer Mike Radford as the Easterly winds that had brought all the good weather was due to be replaced by a Westerly and the potential of rain later in the day.

The first race was held in a shifty South Easterly. Daughter and farther team Alex and Nick Willis started off as they had finished last year with a clear win. For the afternoon the breeze dropped considerably and swung to the South. An attempt at a start resulted in a general recall and then a half hour postponement as a flat calm descended.

By 15:00 a new breeze from the West arrived and following a major course realignment the second race got under way. Shortly after the start a further shift to the North meant that those who started at the committee boat end were lifted up to the windward mark while those at the pin end found themselves on the wrong side of the shift. Richard Marshall and Antony Shaw sailing Antony's beautiful "Whitestar" 1296 led throughout while there were many place changes in the main body of the fleet.

Alex and Nick finished second to give them the overnight lead.

On Sunday a stronger and more consistent North Westerly made for much more Osprey friendly conditions. The fleet were keen to get going - too keen in fact and two general recalls later Mike dusted off his black flag and got race 3 under way. Apologies to the Solo fleet who had to wait!

Simon Brewer and Alistair Ramsden took an early lead but were reeled in by father and son team Roger and Jamie Blake who won. The latter showing no sign of pre-nuptial nerves despite our attempts at making Saturday his unofficial stag night.

Races 4 and 5 followed back-to-back in an increasing breeze favouring the bigger teams while the lightweights were starting to rake.

Terry Curtis and Peter Greig showed that they were the masters of these conditions with a second and two firsts on Sunday to become the Osprey Midland & Welsh Champions.

Roger and Jamie finished second. In third place we were pleased to welcome Ian Cadwallader to the fleet and Mike Cox back to the fleet after several years absence. The pair improving throughout the event as they got to grips with their Mark 4 Osprey.

The Osprey fleet would like to thank Tata Steel SC for putting on a great event and getting five races in difficult conditions.

The next event is at Mounts Bay SC 3rd & 4th May, for which Peter Greig promised us sunshine, Force 4 and big waves - ideal Osprey stuff.

Overall Results:

PosBoatSail NoHelmCrewClubR1R2R3R4R5Pts
1stPlan B1234Terry CurtisPeter GriegCastle Cove SC2‑32116
2ndGhost Ship1382Roger BlakeJamie BlakeGreat Moor SC‑4413210
3rdLast Orders1357Ian CadwalladerMike CoxY&SC‑11644317
4thWarning.... Contains Nuts1350Alec MamwellArthur ButlerConiston SC3‑872618
5thWaimanu1291Alex WillisNick WillisHayling Island SC1289(DNC)20
6thLethal Waepon1116David VCrrollSteve CarrollNaivasha YC5‑756420
7thJammie Dodger1348Oscar ChessDavid CharlesTata Steel SC7‑1165523
8thWhitestar1296Richard MarshallAntony ShawMagate YC61(RET)11RET30
9thBakers Dozen1312Mike MurrayPam MurrayTata Steel SC‑105108831
10thCariad Y Mor1336Jason TaylorMatthew TaylorTata Steel SC9‑1297732
11thJennifer1276Simon BrewerAlistair RamsdenMumbles YC8103(RET)DNC35
12thJust Pogo1114Ros DownsDavid DownsTata Steel SC‑1291212942
13thRhiannon1344Paul BAmbridgeCarwyn OwenTata Steel SC‑131311101044

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