Solo class Northern Championship at Hollingworth Lake Sailing Club

Low clouds and gusty winds greeted Solo sailors at Yorkshire's very own Lake Como - Hollingworth Lake. Fresh from his top ten Europeans (Nations Cup) was Steve Dennison in a borrowed Winder Demo boat and borrowed sailing gear.

This was also the rescheduled Northern Area Championships and a Phantom Open. The courses were excellent as set by the RYA's very own Adam McGovern, though the wind was dramatically gusty.

Somehow the fleet got away cleanly at the start of race 1 and at every start. Andy Carter found a shift on the starboard lay line at the first mark and got cleanly away. Behind was gusty carnage, Phil Barnes had his moments leading the pack, and many others had a crack. In the end Martin Honnor got clear of Phil in third to make up some ground on Andy. Many a sailor rued their chances over lunch, especially Dave Winder who struggled with a damaged mast; though gentle reader (spoiler alert) he didn't give up and was to get his reward.

Race 2 saw and heard some heated discussions from the pin end starters who dominated the beat with a shift on the left hand lay line. Phil and Martin Brennan were early leaders on the first few legs with further issues in the pack at two downwind marks. Eventually half the fleet did penalty turns, possibly not at the first opportunity, whilst some others probably should have gyrated.

The main problem was some doldrums in the mid-section of the lake causing rapid bunching. In the end Martin Honnor again showed class to break out of the pack, this time to lead and win from a greatly improved Dave. Martin Brennan held onto third from Phil who had capsized earlier.

Race 3 was all to play for with three people able to win overall. Adam reset the course in a freshening wind to avoid the midsection and concentrated three beats into the eastern arm of the Lake. A better course, but gentle reader, two of our sailors got into a tangle with it in the end. This time Nick Hornsby got round the first mark first but was rolled downwind by Andy then Martin Honnor.

At the end of the first lap Dave Winder was just behind Andy and Martin as they swapped the lead a couple of times. All three could win the event if they won the race.

With Martin leading narrowly down a run the whole fleet bunched up on a sustained new band of wind.

Dave and Andy were swamped, Martin held the lead by virtue of an inside overlap, the fleet rounded together and a whole new race began.

Dave and Andy also managed to retain inside overlaps and all three regained the leading positions up the now one-sided beat in the sustained wind.

One lap later at the same downwind mark Martin leads Andy by a boat length from Dave two lengths behind and the shortened course sounded. Up the beat they go, Andy tacks, Martin tacks to cover parallel and just to windward, Dave continues and splits from them. Martin and Andy drag race away, closer and closer to the Committee boat, over they go together - who has won?

Silence. They haven't finished, the Phantoms have just finished. Dave tacks round the adjacent mark, the correct course and sets off downwind with one beat to go!

Dave holds onto the lead to win the race from Steve Dennison and win the event with the same points as Martin. Andy scrambles back to fourth to hold onto third overall and Phil is left to ponder maybes if he hadn't had three capsizes, pushed into fifth overall by Steve.

Splendid close racing; well done to Dave on his performance and character for the comeback. If you weren't there, don't miss out, Elton is the next Northern event on Saturday 30 August.

Overall Results: