The winter season has seen some success from Delph travellers. Phil Worth, Will Dyson, Ian Webber-Rostron and Luke Harrison moved over to the Leigh and Lowton ‘Tipsy Icicle’ event. Our best success was Phil coming second in the fast handicap class. Kudos to go to Ian and Luke for managing not to come last! The following Winter Northerns RS400 event saw similar battles from Ian and Luke, who managed once again to not come last, and being the lowest placed boat who took part in every race also won the endeavour prize. A particularly exciting photograph of the ‘battle for last place’ can be seen above the bar. More recently, Phil Worth won an open event at Yorkshire Dales and Wayne & Angela took third at Welton. It is great to see so many people travelling the circuits.
Our own season started with the Shakedown Pursuit, and opportunity to spend the morning looking for your sailing gear before getting to the club to try to remember where you put your boat and how to put it together.
The day was quite blustery with a chilly wind. The first pursuit saw the Toppers set off first followed five mins later by the Miracles. Martin Rouse and cross channel swimmer Graham Crabtree started the following Monday afternoon in the Merlin Rocket.
Louis Moulden led by the first mark by some distance, leaving a selection of upturned boats and a busy safety crew. Mark Ashworth chased Louis down but couldn’t catch him leaving Louis with an impressive win. Louis failed to capitalise on his speed advantage by taking up a port end position on the line in the second race so extreme that it involved sitting on a chair in the clubhouse. This left the door open for Mark “Don’t know what the fuss is about” Ashworth to take line honours on race two and the overall with a first and second placement.
The third race was only for those hardy souls and was led for a long time by Will Taylor in his Topper before a last two minute surge by Luke “Which way is up” Harrison to win and Ian Brown with stand in crew Poppy Haslam to take second.
Overall results: 1st Mark Ashworth (Solo), 2nd Ian Brown with Lilly Brown / Poppy Haslam (Miracle) and 3rd Luke Harrison (Laser).
The Laser Open was held on Saturday 9th April in bright sunshine and a stronger northerly breeze. Ten visitors and nine Delph boats took to the water for three races in strengthening conditions, with a number of sailors opting for Radial rigs (which proved to be the correct decision).
Phil Worth, as OD, with a capable safety team set us off and some great racing. Ian Jones took the first two races from Robert Holmes who took two second places and a first, with Paul Heath in a solid third position.
Positions were decided on who stayed upright for longest, with a some spectacular capsizes right through the fleet.
The first Delph boat was Ian Webber-Rostron in 10th place, showing the class of the visitors. However, special mention must go to Luke Harrison who was mixing it with the top sailors at the windward mark on the third race with a perfect starboard call on Ian Jones.
Will Dyson and Bill Morris both sailed and performed well in the conditions.
Early Points fleet racing was held on Sunday 10th April. The club was busy from mid morning with a number of new boats being setup and rigging support being provided.
Poppy Haslam rigged and sailed her new Laser 4.7 John Merricks funded loan boat which arrived earlier in the week. Molly Haslam sailed her new Topper and Martin Rouse was setting up his new Fireball which he had picked up from Kent the previous day.
Graham Clow as OD got three excellent races going, with strong turnout in the fast handicap with Mark Ashworth and Gary Catterall sailing a Lark as well as Martin and Graham Crabtree in the Fireball new on the start line for this year. Ian and Gemma were the only Fireball who had attended the training session in Draycote Water the previous weekend to be able to consolidate their learnings, as the rest of the fleet was on duty or acting in a beach master capacity.
The novice start was crowded, with a range of Lasers and Toppers making a good transition into racing.
Results to follow once they have been processed through the super computer to calculate fleet positions, overall handicap positions and (new for this year) Personal Handicap positions.
Gordon Riddell – Principle Race Officer