Noble Marine Supernova Northern Travellers at Ogston Sailing Club

Start line - Noble Marine Supernova Northern Travellers at Ogston © Mike Cook / www.mikecookimaging.co.uk

Saturday 26th September saw the 1st round of the 26/27 Noble Marine Supernova Northern Travellers Series being held at Ogston Sailing Club in the beautiful Amber Valley in Derbyshire. Ten visitors joined the seven club sailors to field a seventeen strong fleet, a little down on the numbers from last year but still a strong fleet of visitors including Will Crocker who having just returned from winning the Emberton Park Open a couple of weeks earlier.

Most of Ogston's regular Supernova Sailors were out with injury or unable to use their own boats due to being at Hartleys for repair, so other members rallied round and we had 5 Ogston sailors either sailing another club members boat or trying one out for the 1st time this included Leo Fry a junior (13) sailing our club boat (412).

Also new to the scene was Yasmine Al-Daftary from Redditch SC who said she was looking forward to sailing on a bigger lake to her home club.

Noble Marine Supernova Northern Travellers at Ogston - photo © Mike Cook / www.mikecookimaging.co.uk

With Light winds being forecast at the beginning of the week at first we thought the race would not take place, the wind gods did show up and we were treated to a South Westerly 10-15knt breeze and a Sunny 18°.

Our Race Officer Simon Law and his team set about setting the course for the day which included a very long beat, a close reach, a long downwind leg and 3 more reaches, with the make or break times that the positions changed hands were either on the tricky Ogston beats or the dead downwind legs.

With three races planned 1st before lunch then 2 back to back. The 1st race was delayed as the race officer kindly waited for Andrew Goodman-Smith to sort out a kicker issue, the race was away first time with all the leading contenders off to a flier, whilst 3 Ogston sailors decided to take each other out on the start, culprit Phil Hind. which he ended up being 20 seconds late of the start line, which he then retired due to halyard issues half way through the race.

As Phil is writing this account Ihe did not get to see how the race developed but does know it was close up to the windward mark then Will Crocker showed them how to sail and sailed off into the distance with the pack trying to chase him down. 1st Will Crocker, 2nd Marcus Shaw, 3rd Dana Church.

Marcus Shaw stays dry - Noble Marine Supernova Northern Travellers at Ogston - photo © Mike Cook / www.mikecookimaging.co.uk

Lunch which was provided by our Galley team of Chilli Con Carne, Rice and a Muffin, the Afternoon races began.

Same course for both of the afternoon races with Phil Hind now back in contention rigging sorted (he was in a borrowed boat).

Race 2 - under way cleanly and Will Crocker did the same thing again as in the last race pulled away from us all, leaving the rest of us to fight it out for the other places Matilda Harrison was giving the MK2's a run for their money in her MK1 constantly in the top 10. Race 2 - 1st - Will Crocker, 2nd Marcus Shaw, 3rd Dana Church.

Battle of the Fry's - Noble Marine Supernova Northern Travellers at Ogston - photo © Mike Cook / www.mikecookimaging.co.uk

Race 3 - Another clean start and a bold move by Phil H trying a Port End Flyer which he managed thanks to Will Tacking, this kept Phil H in contention with the leaders and being 4th round the windward mark, only to lose ground on the 2nd lap up to the windward mark even overtaken by Matilda in her MK 1. Will Crocker had yet again shown the the rest a good pair of heels showing how to keep the Supernova flat all the way around the course and how to read the windshifts.

Phil on the other hand on the 3rd lap read all the windshifts and managed to claw his way back through the pack and finishing 4th in the last race, Also a big well done to young Leo Fry (13) sailing the club Supernova (412 a former National championship winning boat) giving his Dad a good run in the final race.

Race 3 - 1st Will Crocker, 2nd Josh Beardshaw, 3rd Marcus Shaw.

Congratulations to Will Crocker on his well deserved win.

Will Crocker, overall winner - Noble Marine Supernova Northern Travellers at Ogston - photo © Phil Hind

Other prizes awarded:

1st MK1 & 1st Lady - Matilda Harrison
1st Junior / Youth - Leo Fry (13)
Yasmine Al - Daftary - Enthusiast prize
Ian Shapiro - Highest Ogston finisher in their own boat (not to have won another prize)

Overall Results:

Safety team - Noble Marine Supernova Northern Travellers at Ogston - photo © Mike Cook / www.mikecookimaging.co.uk