Allen and CB Coverstore Solo class Midlands Area Open Meeting at Shustoke Sailing Club

Jamie Cuxson - Allen and CB Coverstore Solo class Midlands Area Open Meeting at Shustoke © Jim Hopton

Sponsored by Allen Brothers and CB Coverstore

It had been 11 months since the last Solo class open meeting at Shustoke SC which saw very light and at times non existent wind. Would bringing the event forward a month change our wind fortunes? The answer is a resounding, yes! A forecast of 11 -15 knots with gusts around the 20 knot mark coupled with sunshine and 24 degrees, we were in for some superb sailing conditions on Saturday 14th June 2025.

Five visitors joined ten home boats, with visitors from Barnt Green, Chelmarsh, Northampton and Starcross.

In the very capable and experienced hands of our Race Officer, Jim Hopton, the fleet took to the water for a prompt 11am start. Jim set an around the cans course with 3 windward legs at slightly different angles. The idiosyncrasies of Shustoke's wind means that it's usually a good idea to have more than one option, and they all worked!

Olly Saunders and Cole Briscoe - Allen and CB Coverstore Solo class Midlands Area Open Meeting at Shustoke - photo © Jim Hopton

Race 1 got under way with a heavily pin biased line. Olly Saunders got the pin and tacked immediately onto port, setting off towards the first mark. Andy Bownes came out of the middle of the line and also tacking immediately, seemingly in better pressure. Jamie Cuxson had an uncharacteristic start and was caught in the mid line melee. At the first mark it was Andy, followed by Olly with a cluster of boats just behind having fun and games as they all arrived together. Andy and Olly started to put some distance on the fleet and Olly got past Andy on one of the windward legs but got reeled in downwind.

Things start to settle down after the second lap with Olly leading follows by Andy and a very quick Jamie Cuxson who had pulled his way up to third. Towards the end of Lap 3, a couple of mistakes were starting to creep in and Olly had a near capsize at a windward mark. This allowed Jamie and Andy to close the gap. With 45 minutes gone and coming up to the end of lap 3, the front pack expected to be finishing.

But that was not to be, Jamie got through to second and then got past Olly on an off wind leg, getting water at the mark, though by the next mark Olly was ahead again. Intent on making his life as difficult as possible, on the last couple of legs Olly hit a mark.

At the finish it was very close between Olly and Jamie with only a few seconds in it, but Olly held on to win with Jamie second. The pressure must have all been a bit too much for Olly as he was seen demonstrating another near capsize just a boat length over the line! Andy was third and last year's winner Cole Briscoe in fourth.

Race 2 was back to back with the first and with a slightly shorter course, the fleet once again set off for the first windward leg from a port biased line. Race 1 winner Olly getting squeezed out at the pin by Cole made for an interesting gybe round and try again on the start! This time Jamie was cleanly away from the start and led at the top mark. I'm not quite sure of the order that followed but Cole, Gareth Wilkinson, Neil Wilkinson and Olly were in the pack chasing him down.

After another 3 legs, the fleet were heading downwind back towards the last mark of the course. Jamie was leading, Olly now second and Cole and Gareth were locked in battle for third whilst still with the following pack. With some big gusts coming from behind, most of the fleet gybed to stick in the pressure which caused at least one casualty to take an early bath.

Jamie and Olly were able to create a safe gap from Cole and Gareth who in turn had a good gap on the following boats. Despite his best efforts, Olly couldn't pass Jamie and after a much shorter race than the first, the bigger battle was with Cole and Gareth. Both trying to get the better of each other on the last downwind leg, Cole defended by taking Gareth high before gybing outside the zone and being clear ahead when they got to it.

Somewhere around 36 minutes for the race this time and, it was Jamie first, Olly second, Cole third and Gareth fourth.

Olly Saunders - Allen and CB Coverstore Solo class Midlands Area Open Meeting at Shustoke - photo © Jim Hopton

With some early aches and pains it was time for a superb lunch put together by Lucinda and Zara. I can vouch for the lasagne and garlic bread option!

Once suitably refreshed and rested, it was time to go again. A new course, another variation on the earlier ones and a new start line was the perfect setting for the final race of 3 laps, which could affect the results right through the fleet. It was also the windiest race of the day which would hopefully keep things interesting.

The fleet once again got away cleanly and with the exception of Olly, all went left up the first beat.. Showing that the course must have been pretty even, Jamie rounded first with Olly just behind, followed by Tim Mardon and John Steels. Jamie and Olly made use of the clear air and got away from the pack where the real race was going on. Tim Mardon in third as he rounded the leeward mark closely followed by John Steels, Cole and Neil.

It was this downwind leg where Cole and Neil's expertise shone through and got the better of the boats ahead of them but they couldn't shake one another and it remained this way to the end. The excitement of a breezy last race must have got to Olly as he forgot to go through the gate at the end of lap one! Testament to his sportsmanship, Jamie shouted Olly back, allowing him to turn and sail the correct course.

Gareth Wilkinson - Allen and CB Coverstore Solo class Midlands Area Open Meeting at Shustoke - photo © Jim Hopton

Shustoke is well known for its 'snakes and ladders' and in true Shustoke style this event was no different. Despite other boats closing in fast and passing, Olly somehow managed to pick a ladder and came back, still just about rounding the next mark in second. Jamie and Olly enjoying their closest race of the day saw marginal gains and losses with one crossing ahead on one tack to have the places reversed on the next.

Come the last mark of lap 3, Jamie led by two boat lengths and defended his position to cross the line as the event winner from Olly in second place. Cole and Neil were still giving each other a good race but with Cole rounding the last mark ahead of Neil, the short beat to the finish didn't give any room for the places to change and so it was Cole third and Neil fourth.

Another year and another great event at Shustoke. A new name on the Shustoke trophy. Congratulations to Jamie Cuxson, our very deserving winner. Jamie thanked the race team, safety boat crews, galley and the event sponsors.

Podium places and First Lady - Allen and CB Coverstore Solo class Midlands Area Open Meeting at Shustoke - photo © Lucinda Thornton

Overall Results:

1st Lady - Jane Scott-Davies

Cole Briscoe, Tim Mardon and Gareth Wilkinson - Allen and CB Coverstore Solo class Midlands Area Open Meeting at Shustoke - photo © Jim Hopton