05 October 2024
Report by Ted Garner
Sponsored by Winder Boats & Impact Marine
Photo by Bill Kenyon
Four intrepid travellers and an enthusiastic turnout of ten home club Solos (14 total) braved the 20 plus knot gust forecast to compete for the penultimate Northern Series Solo Open meeting at Budworth SC, in the heart of Cheshire. The club was beautiful, with a surprisingly pleasant force 2 -3 warm south easterly breeze with blue skies and white clouds passing over head, the lawns were mowed and a glorious green, with Ian Noble taking the time just before racing to jet wash the jetty (thankyou), moving the ducks and other birds away to watch the racing from the Mere.
It was to turn out to be a very enjoyable and surprising day with three race winners from different clubs, unexpected people capsizing and some super consistent sailing.
An expert race team led by Jon Chapman PRO with Wendy Martin as AOD and Nicola, were to serve up a great course, with two beats, runs and occasionally planning reaches to make the best of the up and down gusty and shifting breeze. Bill Kenyon manned the lead boat to show visitors around the course with Steve Hayward and Alex Taylor on rescue and line duties to identify any over eager sailors jumping the start.
Jon gave a briefing, and it was decided to race the first two races” back to back” just in case increasing breeze arrived. On the water it was a day to keep your head out of the boat and try to make the best of gusts and shifts. Innes Armstrong did just that, identifying a slight port bias and hitting the line at the pin at speed, enabling a short starboard tack sprint to get out in front and then a port tack to cross the fleet so he could tack back into clear air with a clear lead and the freedom to choose his own course. Chris Gillard started further up the line but used his fast-sailing skills to pop out of the fleet and join Innes at the front. The pair disappeared into the distance for their own personal duel while the following chase group of Graham Ellis, Tony Sampson, Phil Proctor followed by Steve McGiven and Stephen Restall had their own battles. It was a snakes and ladder day with plenty of opportunities to gain if you could find the localised gust cells which passed across the mere in easily missed patches. At the finish Innes had retained his lead all the way closely followed by Chris with the super consistent Graham in third. Throughout the fleet there were countless individual races with everyone enjoying the conditions.
Photo by Bill Kenyon
Race two followed straight away with a slightly fresher breeze that dipped as the race continued. It was the same course and Innes following a similar strategy to race one and it seemed that a similar result was almost a racing certainty. However, after crossing the fleet the vital tack back to seal the gain went wrong, with an inexplicable capsize. Graham had again made a solid start and was first to the windward mark with Chris yet again mastering the conditions to be in hot pursuit. Innes charged through the fleet to try to make up the lost ground picking off competitor one by one until eventually catching the lead pair. Chris has managed to just get past Graham, who, as the last lap commenced was in Innes’s sights, there was a covering dual downwind with a luffing match to try to keep clear air and then get an overlap at the leeward mark. Innes managed to overtake so the top three were the same as the first race, just a different order, Chris taking the win, Innes second and ever consistent, no mistakes, Graham third.
Returning to shore the fleet was refreshed with deliciously warming soup and sandwiches together with a drink, all prepared by the wonderful Diane. There was plenty of discussion about the days racing and INEOS ‘s chances of winning the Americas Cup together with catching up with sailing friends.
The sun started to shine, and fleet returned to a sometimes-sparkling water for the third and final race in a slightly freshening breeze with a start time of 2:00 pm. It looked like it was going to be a shootout between Innes and Chris for the win with Graham looking certain to have the pleasure of third place and the now tradition of writing the report.
Two minutes before the start gun a gust came through which combined with the Solos requirement for limbo dancing under the boom got the better of a competitor who capsized in the middle of the start line. No panic. the rescue team were there straight away to right the boat and clear the line as the fleet bore down to try to make a clean start. Unexpectedly Ted Garner found a boat length of space to leeward at the start line enabling him to accelerate and get just half a boat length ahead of the charging boats, which gradually increased as the fleet blasted toward the windward mark on a lifting starboard tack. Graham was just behind, and it was these two boats that made it to the first mark in first and second. It wasn’t long before Innes and Chris were on the charge behind trying to catch the two Budworth boats. Clear air and knowing the vagaries of Budworth Mere helped the two Budworth sailors to keep going, but both Chris and Innes were catching, until Innes had another capsize, this time I am told a specular affair at the gybe mark. But Chris kept on eventually just managing to pass Graham on the last lap to get second, with Graham holding third and Innes as always recovering to be fourth.
This describes only the tussle for the first few places, there were plenty of hard racing and place changing throughout the fleet to make it an enjoyable day for all.
Back to shore to pack away, shower and enjoy a pint in the Budworth SC galley. Richard Wynn who had done a great job organising the event thanked the race and galley teams who had given up their time so others could enjoy the racing. Jon (also Budworth Commodore as well as PRO) gave out the prizes. The super consistent, three thirds Graham took the prize for first Budworth Boat outside of the top three, the far less consistent Ted Garner was awarded third as he had held on to win the last race, hence becoming the writer of this report. The scoring was close between Innes and Chris with both having firsts and seconds, so the third race had to count, so with Innes behind Chris overall he got second, and Chris getting a further second place became the worthy winner of the event. Chris thanked the race team and organisers, and kindly said, as someone who has been visiting Budworth for decades, how pleased he was to see the club in such good shape. This is a credit especially to the Covert 19 group who come down to the club each week to complete maintenance and keep the club looking fantastic.
Photo by Nicola Lavis
Next Saturday the 12th of October 2024 the Northern Series moves on to its final event this year at Elton Sailing Club, Bury, Lancs. Please come along to enjoy competitive racing and attend the series prize giving.
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