Middle Nene SC RS200 Open Meeting – 8th June 2008

A light breeze and glorious sunshine welcomed the 16 boats to the Middle Nene SC RS200 Open Meeting. Many competitors had taken part in the excellent training session run by Trudie Fell the day before so were eager to put all the top tips they gained into practice.
A windward /leeward course was set and Race 1 got underway without a hitch. Matt Yallop from Middle Nene took an early lead, tacking early off the line onto port and made the windward mark first. However, due to him failing to notice a slightly high spacer mark and the consequent aborted spinnaker hoist, he was caught by and eventually overtaken downwind by local rivals Mark Hatsell and Rob Ashman in 499 and Paul & Hazel Williamson from Staunton Harold in 1026. The rest of the race cumulated in a tight battle between 499 and 1026 with Mark and Rob eventually taking the win.

For the second race a slightly larger course was set. 1026 took an early lead, hotly pursued by 499. Another close battle developed with Mark and Rob eventually taking the lead across the line.
After an excellent lunch of soup and tiger bread, the fleet set out again for the 3rd race. The wind was still fairly light with the occasional gust filling in at various points on the course. This race saw a battle for the lead between local sailors Matt and Debbie in 358 and Mark and Rob in 499. The positions changed several times with Matt eventually crossing line in 1st, a few of seconds ahead.

Matt again started well in the 4th race with a seemingly huge lead going into the second lap. Patrick Elcombe and Sarah Long in 568 also got off to a good start. However, after the 2nd beat it had all changed and a new lead group consisting of Paul and Hazel Williamson in 1026, Mo and Amy Allen in 997 and James Mead and Vicona Knight in 1262 spit from the rest of the pack and were not to be caught again for the rest of the race. James Mead eventually took pole position across the line after a close battle with the other two boats.
A special mention must go to little Amy Allen. Not only was she the youngest competitor by far, but she also didn't stop smiling all weekend!!

Final Results:
1st  Mark Hatsell and Rob Ashman 499 Middle Nene SC
2nd Paul & Hazel Williamson  1026 Staunton Harold SC
3rd Matt Yallop & Debbie Walkerdon 358 Middle Nene SC
4th James Mead and Vicona Knight 1262 MNSC/Fishers Green SC
5th Andy & Karen Connellan 255 Middle Nene SC

Mark Hatsell
RS 200 Fleet Captain


Middle Nene SC Solo Open Meeting May 4th 2008

 GO SOLO @ Middle Nene

The new marketing catch phrase of GO SOLO @ Middle Nene used by the Solo fleet seems to have worked, with thirty Solos attending the Solo/Laser open meeting on 4th May.

Unfortunately the marketing spin did not work with the wind provider, with winds for the first race being light, petering out to nothing by the third. Race one saw a few entertaining gusts up at six, but everything went pear shaped after that. And come race three conditions were that disappointing that some helms did not bother starting and some, including yours truly, gave up half way through and headed for the bar.

Never the less the skills of Richard Pye from Draycote Water SC shone through with two firsts straight out of the box. Steve Ede from Ardleigh SC performed superbly with a seventh in the first race and a second in race two and three. Chris Brown ended up on the third step with a second, third and sixth.

James Mead kept the Middle Nene flag flying with a superb third in the third race and a creditable sixth overall. Matt Moore borrowed his dads boat again and did a good job to finish ninth overall, while Rob Ashman stole his works P&B solo and took it to eleventh overall.

The commodore in waiting, Ian Burns, is considering replacing his new boat with an even newer one so that he can do better next year than his eighteenth slot and uncharacteristically Tom McKenna, who is well known for making his solo go well in iffy conditions, finished just astern of Ian.

Pat Elcombe gave the club Solo an outing but could not repeat his 14 form. StJohn Branigan did not find the conditions to his liking, Jonh Hale only did race one and yours truly just kept his powder dry until his new trick boat arrives, complete with satalite navigation system and auto pilot.

Race officer Neil Bartholomey did a great job but found it very difficult to set a course when the wind, or lack of it, was there one minute and somewhere else the next.

Matt Yallop whizzed about in the rescue boat and helped with the course setting. In between race two and three he also provide tea and biscuits on the water to some competitors, but I have to say mine was stone cold.

Vice commodore Ian Burns and fleet captain Mick Hyde dished out the silverware. Both are determined to build on the success next year with more incentives and awards planned. An advanced order for the clubs more usual force 3 gusting 4 winds has been placed!

Mick Hyde
Solo Fleet Captain

FINAL RESULT         
             
  BOAT HELM CLUB 1 2 3
1 4357 Richard Pye Draycote Water SC 1 1 34
2 4774 Steve Ede Ardleigh SC 7 2 2
3 4861 Chris Brown RYA 2 3 6
4 4120 Godfrey Clark Fishers Green SC 5 6 1
5 4605 David Liddington Rugby & Daventry SC 3 5 4
6 4658 James Mead Fishers Green / MNSC 13 7 3
7 4660 Keith Smith King George SC 8 4 7
8 4578 Neil Wilkinson Shustoke SC 4 8 8
9 4457 Matt Moore MNSC 6 9 13
10 4210 Robert Laurie Dabchicks SC 17 12 5
11 4820 Rob Ashman MNSC 9 20 10
12 4847 Andrew McGaw King George SC 10 10 34
13 4608 Roger Hopper Shustoke SC 16 14 9
14 4649 Simon Hastings Welland Yacht Club 18 13 11
15 4487 Richard Siggers Shustoke SC 14 11 34
16 4215 Claire Clark Fishers Green SC 12 15 33
17 4771 Andrew Liddington Rugby & Daventry SC 11 19 34
18 4311 Ian Burns MNSC 22 17 14
19 1252 Richard Christmas Hunts SC 19 16 15
20 3290 Tom McKenna MNSC 20 21 12
21 4375 Greg Northmore Hickling Broad 15 18 34
22 4755 Mike Partington Draycote Water SC 26 22 16
23 4427 John Strange Fishers Green SC 24 26 17
24 4515 T Ollerearnshaw Stewartby 28 25 18
25 2002 Mick Hyde MNSC 23 23 33
26 4013 Nick Jones Stewartby 29 28 19
27 3319 Pat Elcombe MNSC 27 24 34
28 3702 Farren Goding Sutton SC 25 27 34
29 4786 John Hale MNSC 21 33 34
30 3138 St John Branigan MNSC 33 33 33



Middle Nene SC Home Counties & Eastern Region Laser GP Series May 4th 2008

This year's event was eagerly anticipated as the fleet rigged in a 10-15 mile an hour wind but the weather was in the mood to play nasty tricks and apart from the lunch break the day was plagued by extremely light winds.

The first race started with a reasonable breeze with Alan Bishop of Fishers Green leading the pack.

By the second lap Chris Mayhew had taken the lead, only to lose it as the wind died and the fleet bunched up at the front. James Cully came through the pack to take first.

After lunch the start was delayed as what wind there was changed direction at will but when finally under way Richard Woolf led the way followed by local sailor Mark Hatsell who maintained his challenge despite turns for hitting the mark. At the back Stephanie Rhodes & Aaron Woolf were have a great tussle to see who would end up as top 4.7 but as in the first race James Cully came through to take the race and the day.

The third race won by Alan Bishop was uneventful but did see just turned 13year old Daniel Wigmore complete his first open event and finish the day ahead of his father Simon.

Please note, the original report erroneously stated that Chris Mayhew was disqualified in the first race, and we sincerely apologise for this mistake. (Out of court settlement for an undisclosed amount, reporter sentenced to life imprisonment.....)

FINAL RESULT
           
Position Name Club Sail Number   Rig
1 James Cully Norfolk Broads Y.C. 181910   Full
2 Alan Bishop Fishers Green S.C. 192535   Full
3 Mark Hatsell Middle Nene S.C. 147825   Full
4 Chris Mayhew Royal Harwich Y.C. 182288   Full
5 Richard Woolf Waldringfield S.C. 77661   Full
6 Andrew Byrne King George S.C. 186859   Full
7 Jasper Barnham Snettisham Beach 189084   Full
8 David Marks Middle Nene S.C. 179873   Full
9 Jarvis Simpson R.Y.A. 172807   Full
10 Matt Rivers Leigh-On-Sea S.C. 181711   Full
11 Edward Harrison Waldringfield S.C. 160532   Full
12 Nic Rivers Leigh-On-Sea S.C. 180665   Full
13 Steven Bishop Fishers Green S.C. 180833   Full
13 Thomas Vessey Middle Nene S.C. 136557   Full
15 Jack Mead Middle Nene S.C. 123673   Full
16 Andy Connellan Middle Nene S.C. 120356   Full
17 Peter Tressler Middle Nene S.C. 164537   Full
18 Daniel Wigmore Middle Nene S.C. 137287   Full
19 Simon Wigmore Middle Nene S.C. 184354   Full
20 Stephanie Rhodes Middle Nene S.C. 185597   4.7
21 Aaron Woolf Waldringfield S.C. 173487   4.7
22 Colin Hysom Middle Nene S.C. 185971   Full

Report by Simon Wigmore, Fleet Captain