Firefly Craftinsure Vines series at South Staffordshire Sailing Club

Firefly Craftinsure Vines series at South Staffs © Martin Rubrey

Six visitors joined a four-strong 'local legends' fleet for the South Staffs Firefly Open on 14th June, part of the 2025 Craftinsure Vines series. The fleet was greeted with sunshine and a gusty force 3-4 SW breeze. After a welcoming breakfast and briefing from PRO Bill Bradburn, the fleet launched for the first race.

With a short start line and gusty winds, a couple of boats were pushed OCS but managed to return to clear their penalties.

The position of the start near the southern bank forced the fleet to tack and stay close together up the first beat. Andy & Harry Davis in club boat 1 rounded the windward mark first and pulled out a nice lead around the spreader mark, only to head for the wrong leeward mark, allowing Jonny & Sophie Coate in club boat 2 to take the lead.

Firefly Craftinsure Vines series at South Staffs - photo © Martin Rubrey

The long upwind legs, coupled with shifty and gusty breeze, allowed the lead to change multiple times over the next few laps before Jenny Smallwood & Philip Aldhous (3625) managed to get ahead of Samuel Bailey & Mia Hateley (3750) and Jonny & Sophie. Back in the pack, racing was tight, and boats needed to be on the lookout for sharp gusts, with Guy Davison & Tash Armstrong (3318) taking a dip at the gybe mark which ended their race.

The fleet came ashore for a delicious lunch and well-earned break after a fruity first race. Over lunch, the wind stayed strong, deterring some from launching for the second race.

Firefly Craftinsure Vines series at South Staffs - photo © Martin Rubrey

For the second race, the start was clear and the first lap was rather windy.

A highlight was the leading four boats all planing down the long downwind leg in parallel. The racing at the front was tight, particularly until Chris Kameen & Poppy Armstrong (2937) had a spectacular capsize to windward rounding the leeward mark. Throughout the race the lead changed a few times, before the wind persisted in a right shift and the race became slightly more processional, with Jenny & Philip coming out in the lead ahead of Andy & Harry and Samuel & Mia.

Firefly Craftinsure Vines series at South Staffs - photo © Martin Rubrey

Numbers for the last race were significantly reduced as the Birmingham Uni students and Jonny & Sophie had endured enough of the strong winds. However, the racing was extremely tight among the five competing boats, with most of the fleet in the lead at some point in the race.

Winning the first beat and leading for the first lap were Jonny Woodward & Chloe Nichols (who had never sailed a Firefly before this event). Chris & Poppy fought hard to get back into the race after over-standing a few lay lines on the new course. They got themselves into third by the end of the race, finishing behind Jenny & Philip and Andy & Harry.

Jenny Smallwood and Phillip Alhous win the Firefly Craftinsure Vines series at South Staffs - photo © Martin Rubrey

All five boats finished within a minute or so, showing how close the racing was.

Thank you very much to the race team, safety crew, galley volunteers, and organiser, Samuel Bailey, for putting on a super event.

Photos and videos (thanks Martin Rubrey!) can be found at photos.app.goo.gl/DZ3Cndi81i2UgMjk7

Andy and Harry Davis take second in the Firefly Craftinsure Vines series at South Staffs - photo © Martin Rubrey

Overall Results:

Samuel Bailey and Mia Hateley take third in the Firefly Craftinsure Vines series at South Staffs - photo © Martin Rubrey