Streaker End of Season Championship at Northampton Sailing Club

Peter Cogill (2220) leads Peter Gray (2202) - Streaker End of Season Championship at Northampton © Clare Butterfield

A change of venue for the Streaker End of Season Championships didn't prevent Staunton Harold's home favourite, Peter Gray, from taking the Freddy Bear trophy at the head of a 25-strong fleet at Northampton Sailing Club.

The lack of water at Staunton Harold Reservoir resulted in the move to Northampton. The event was shared with the OK Class who kindly allowed the Streakers to join them for a challenging day of racing. Three races were held in winds ranging from 5 to 25 knots; a true test of all-round ability.

Launching from the windward shore, the mild and benign conditions gave few clues to the day that lay ahead. However, by the time we were in sequence for race 1, it was apparent this was to be a 'hikers and thermals' kind of day - at least for some of the time!

The committee boat was at the favoured end of the line for start 1, with Pete Gray (Staunton Harold), Alan Gillard (Sheffield Viking) and Dave Borrett (Beaver) amongst the front runners who were able to secure a clear lane off the start in a shifty 15 knots. However, it was Andy McIvor (Stone) - new to the Streaker Fleet - and Alan Bishop (Girton) who stayed left up the first beat to lead at the windward mark. Alan G, Dave, Pete and Ian Gore (Up River) were in hot pursuit.

The solid breeze proved patchy, dropping to less than 5 knots at times (at least for some of us!), so joining up the lifts and the pressure proved crucial. Pete showed how it should be done, taking the race win, with Dave playing the right shore of the penultimate beat to pull through into second, ahead of Alan G in third. Alan B took fourth.

James Dawes (1975) looking to pull off a port flyer - Streaker End of Season Championship at Northampton - photo © Clare Butterfield

The starboard-biased start of race 1 was reversed for race 2. James Dawes (Redditch) tried for a port flyer at the pin end and managed to find a gap behind a couple of transoms to take the lead up the first beat. By the windward mark he had opened a small gap to a pair of WOBYC boats, Adam Yorkston and Kyle Beamish, with Alan G and Pete in the chasing pack. Conditions were extreme at times - in excess of 25 knots - with plenty of capsizes to keep the rescue crews entertained.

However, Pete showed his class and worked his way through the fleet to take the race win. James and Alan G had a tight battle for second, with James getting the better of the final beat. There was a gap behind these three, with Adam surviving a near-capsize to finish fourth.

Gybe mark - Streaker End of Season Championship at Northampton - photo © Clare Butterfield

The wind eased off again for race 3 which, after another clean start, provided a chance for some lighter-air gurus to feature at the windward mark. Nigel Pepperdine (Staunton Harold) popped up first, ahead of Ian and the ever-consistent Alan G in third. James and Pete were also thereabouts at this stage.

A shorter race wasn't short enough for Nigel who's bridle snapped, leaving Ian to come through for the race win ahead of Pete and Alan G. James took fourth ahead of Dave which would prove crucial for the top five in the overall standings.

Prize winners (L-R) Ian Gore 2nd, James Dawes 3rd, Peter Gray 1st - Streaker End of Season Championship at Northampton - photo © Charmaine Ryland

So it was Peter Gray of Staunton Harold who took the overall victory - and the Freddy Bear Trophy - with two bullets and a convincing event win. Behind Pete there was a three-way tie for second, broken in favour of Ian Gore (Up River) second and James Dawes (Redditch) third. Alan Gillard (Sheffield Viking) was squeezed off the podium into fourth with Dave Borrett (Beaver) just one point behind in fifth.

The Silver Fleet was won by Tim Harris from Up River YC in seventh overall. And Bronze Fleet honours went to Simon Cook from Scaling Dam in twelfth; both very creditable results in the challenging conditions.

Simon Cook (2182) winner of the Bronze Fleet - Streaker End of Season Championship at Northampton - photo © Clare Butterfield

Our thanks and appreciation go to the OK Class for allowing us to share their End of Seasons event and to Northampton SC whose excellent race team lived up to the challenge of hosting an extra class and who laid on a memorable event.

The End of Season Championship concluded several Streaker Class series, not least the prestigious Rooster Super Series which was won by Ian Gore (Up River). Ian also won the North Sails Southern Paddle Series and Alan Bishop (Girton) won the HD Sails Northern Paddle Series.

It wouldn't be the Streaker season finale without the usual Paddle Series prize draws. Participants in the two series received a ticket for each race they sailed. This year's lucky winner of the HD Sail was Peter Kitchen (Ripon/Tees & Hartlepool) for the Northern Paddle Series. The North Sail went to Kyle Beamish (WOBYC) for the Southern Paddle Series. Congratulations Peter and Kyle!

Finally, following a very generous donation from Super Spars to celebrate our Golden Jubilee year, draws were held for all Full Members of the Class Association to win a Super Spars M9 tapered mast and a Super Spars carbon boom. Each class member received a ticket in the draws; the mast was won by Archie Burton (Beaver) and the carbon boom was won by Alan Bennett (Staunton Harold) - congratulations Archie and Alan!

And that's a wrap for the official Streaker events of 2025, a memorable year to mark 50 years since Jack Holt created our remarkable single-hander.

Winners of the Bronze Fleet Simon Cook (centre) and Silver Fleet Tim Harris (right) - Streaker End of Season Championship at Northampton - photo © Charmaine Ryland

Overall Results: