The Enterprise Association UK

Midland Area Champs at Notts County Sailing Club - By Paul Young

This joint Midland / North East event was the ninth in the 2010 Midland Area Double Chine Series sponsored by Speed Sails and was held at Notts County SC over the weekend 26th/27th June.

The twenty five boat fleet included visitors from Ogston, Rotherham, Staunton Harold, Tamworth, Shustoke, Burghfield, Northampton, Bartley, Midland, Emberton Park, and Ripon sailing clubs who enjoyed a very hot sunny day with a light to moderate Easterly wind.

The shifty wind challenged the race officer Nadia Lincoln and competitors alike with the wind swinging thirty degrees left and right.

The first race saw Martin and Abigail Honner (Ogston SC) starting at the pin end round the windward mark first followed closely by Steve Graham and Chris Blundell (Northampton SC) and Matt Rawson and Jess Law (Ogston SC). The leading bunch had close completion among themselves with Martin and Abigail squeezing first place, Matt and Jess were second with Steve and Chris third.

The second race sailed back to back saw Jon Woodward and Graham Sheard (Bartley/NCSC) round the windward mark first following a shifty first beat, close behind was Russell Short and Kate Fry (Rotherham SC) with Martin and Abigail third hitting the mark spinning away. Locals Matt Potter and Nicola Ogden (Notts County SC) rounded fifth and maintained this position. Russell and Kate and Barry Moss and Julie Moore sailed well to finish second and third.

The third race sailed on a new course, following a short break saw the black flag come out for the first time following the majority of the fleet over the line and a general recall. At the second attempt three boats were black flagged. Martin and Abigail rounded the windward mark first from Russell and Kate clear from Nigel and Diana Pepperdine (Staunton Harold SC). After some close racing throughout the fleet the race finished in that order.

Prize winners at Notts County - Nigel and Diana Pepperdine, Abigail and Martin Honnor, and Kate Fry and Russell Short - photograph Notts County SC

The fourth race sailed back to back saw Nigel and Diana lead round the first mark with Mike Cossey and Christine Barron (Tamworth SC) second who sailed a very strong race maintaining their second place throughout. The race was decided on the second to last leg Nigel and Diana got the best breeze and pulled away finishing first from Mike and Christine second and Martin and Abigail third.

Saturday evening saw the fleet enjoying an excellent roast dinner, a band and the hospitality provided by team at Notts County SC.

Sunday dawned hot sunny and windless. After a two hour postponement to allow the wind to materialise, racing was abandoned for the day to allow the fleet to watch the England/Germany world cup football match.

Winning helm Martin Honner thanked everyone at Notts County for a great weekend and Paintcraft for sponsoring some of the prizes.