Border Counties Midweek Sailing at Budworth Sailing Club

1st overall Ted Garner - Border Counties Midweek Sailing at Budworth © Dave Thomas

The beautiful sparkling Budworth Mere was likened to the "Cheshire Riviera" by the early arrivals of boats from Winsford Flash, shortly followed by the Shotwick Lake contingent, and the remainder of the "Tuesday Sailing Club" friends who joined a great home club turnout of nine boats to make 25 boats and 31 competitors (four more than last year) for the Budworth Border Counties Series Event.

The experience level of the competitors ranged from ex world and national champions to sailors fresh from their RYA Level 1 training, sailing a wide variety of boats from Comets to an RS200 and Snipe, all aiming to have a great day's sailing and a brilliant Tuesday.

With a warm wind forecast from the South over the trees of 9 mph gusting 12 mph, which was predicted to drop off in the late afternoon, it was going to be super shifty, and an expert team of race officials were needed. Fortunately, it was on hand, with Jon Chapman (PRO), Wendy Martin (ARO), ably assisted by Bill Kenyon and John Ward on rescue boats, all volunteering to give up their day so others could enjoy quality racing - on a Tuesday.

At a briefing at 10:30 it was decided to sail two races back-to-back on the water in the morning before lunch followed by a race in the afternoon.

Starting close to the north shore to maximise the length of the beat there was great competition to win the pin end with some boats squeezed out as the wind backed, having to sail back along the line to try to find a gap to squeeze through on port to escape to clear air. Left had looked favoured during the pre-start but Pete Chambers in his Comet had seen it differently and played a blinder, following a lift to the right to tack back to starboard in a gust of wind, storming across the sailors who had opted for the left.

Ted Garner (one of those squeezed out at the start) in his Solo copied Pete and due to the Solo handicap arrived first at the windward mark followed by Alex and Rory Taylor in an RS200 with Pete and a second Pete (Coop) in his Streaker together with Eric Haselden in his Supernova close behind. With Pete's super silky sailing skills he managed to avoid all the holes and take the shifts to overhaul Ted.

Eric also moved ahead making the speed of his Supernova count, with Alex and Rory's RS200, although out in front very sportingly avoiding the finish line because of a potential earlier infringement. But it was Pete in his Comet who expertly sailed the course, hardly dropping back, to take an emphatic win with Pete's Streaker taking second and Ted holding on for third.

The fleet reassembled for the second race which again featured a busy line, it was imperative to be able to get off the line into clear air to be able to play the big shifts and search out the wind which offered big gains. Local knowledge of sailing for decades at Budworth was a huge advantage and Ted who had luckily found a gap to start at speed on port took the lead.

Behind Eric and Phil Watson in their Supernova's battled throughout the race overtaking Ted, with Eric taking line honours. Paul Newman and Pete in their Streakers also worked through the fleet only split by Alex and Rory's RS200 and were rapidly closing the gap on Ted as the finish arrived. So, the on handicap the finishing order was Ted first, Paul second with Eric third.

Sailors returned to the shore for a perfect picnic on the picturesque Budworth Lawn just behind the new extended slipway making launch and recovery so easy. The results were calculated, and the outcome was still wide open with four potential winners the Pete's in their Comet and Streaker, Paul's Streaker or Ted's local Solo.

Back to the water and the wind was unstable but fortunately not dropping. After a postponement as the line and top mark was set and reset as the wind moved more easterly and back, an attempt was made at the start, but the fleet was super eager, and a general recall was called.

The fleet got away on the second attempt with Paul expertly winning the pin end and playing the shifts to the left. Pete in his Streaker had already mastered Budworth's wind and expertly sailed the first beat to be first round the windward mark, with Phil in his Supernova, Paul in his Streaker with Ted just behind. It was all to play for, if Pete won (as he usually does) he would win the event.

With little between the speed of the Solo and Streaker in these conditions it was a tight race, with Ted just managing with his local knowledge to take a shift and pass Paul freeing him to get clear air. In the front it looked like Pete would disappear but every time he extended Phil in his Streaker would come up behind at speed and overtake, with Pete then covering Phil and overtaking again, so the two didn't disappear and on the last run the wind gods had their say by shutting the wind down at the final mark.

As Pete and Phil were drifting, they could hear Eric, Ted and Paul closing in on a gust. Phil managed to round in first taking line honours with Pete just behind. But had the lull and the chaser's momentum meant that the chasers had closed enough to win on handicap? Paul was clearly third on handicap, but who was first place Pete or Ted? There would turn out to be only seconds in it.

This was just one of multiple race stories during the day as there were place changes galore throughout the fleet and there were the battles of the Junior's (a last sail before the dreaded return to school), the double handers and for the first Budworth boat. There were smiles on faces with everyone enjoying a super friendly early autumn sail, still with the lingering warmth of summer and the added pleasure of it being a Tuesday.

2nd overall Pete Coop - Border Counties Midweek Sailing at Budworth - photo © Dave Thomas

To the bar for the results, first Nayth Twiggs was awarded his prize for first Junior followed by Graham Ellis for first Budworth boat prize and for the coveted double hander Pete Thoms and Dawn Frost took the honours in their fast new GP14. The podium positions of Paul Newman third, Pete Coop second were called before Jon (our PRO and Commodore) jumped in to award Ted with his bottle for first.

Pete as is tradition as first visiting boat thanked the race team and all volunteers at Budworth for a great day's sailing, remembering that Budworth was the first Borders Venue five years ago and reiterated his thanks to Dave for organising the series which brings so much pleasure for those who compete.

1st double handed Pete Thoms & Dawn Frost - Border Counties Midweek Sailing at Budworth - photo © Dave Thomas

Dave wound up another brilliant day by inviting all who can to come to the final event of the series for 2025 at Winsford Flash on the 30th of September 2025 to enjoy another great Tuesday sail, the more the merrier.

So why not come and join our friendly Tuesday club - it's better than being in work!

If you want any information about the series then see our website bordercountiesmidweeksailing.wordpress.com

1st junior Nayth Twiggs - Border Counties Midweek Sailing at Budworth - photo © Dave Thomas

Overall Results:

1st home boat Graham Ellis - Border Counties Midweek Sailing at Budworth - photo © Dave Thomas