Mirror Northern Areas 2023
May Bank Holiday Weekend 2023
Due to poor conditions on Saturday racing was cancelled for the day. As is typical, a gentle breeze filled in soon after the cancellation was announced!
Matt/Oliver took the honours in their RS200, with Dave/Lynn in a GP 2nd, and Chris/Laura in a RS200 third.
Paul Carruthers Memorial Trophy final results
Sunday�s racing was scheduled to start at 1030, but the lighter than forecast wind delayed matters for just over 30 minutes. The first club race was the Paul Carruthers Memorial Trophy postponed from Saturday. The wind was light and variable but sufficient to keep the fleets moving.
The wind freshened on the final beat, and it looked promising that the forecast winds were coming in, but it was necessary to wait until after the lunch break for that to happen.
The higher winds after lunch led to some great spinnaker legs, hairy gybes, with numerous capsizes, and some challenging shifts to test the sailors.
After three races the overnight leaders were Robbie D/Ian in the F15s, Cam in the Handicap fleet, Dave/Lynn in the GPs, and Phil/Oliver in the Mirrors (results for club members in the Mirror Northerns count towards this championship series).
Phil/Oliver led the Mirror Northerns too, with Will/Isabelle Crocker being highest placed visitors 2nd.
Gareth Ede was overnight leader in the Catapults
Monday’s wind was less blustery, but just as shifty. The Mirrors and Catapults had an earlier start planned to get their final races in before lunch. However, with echoes of scenes from Jaws, the committee boat was at anchor preparing for the start when it started being towed backwards! Was it a whale, shark, or a submarine? No, one of the rescue boats moving a mark dragged its mooring across the committee boat’s anchor warp! A few minutes later the lines were disentangled, and the start line reset.
Another win by Phil/Oliver Smith from Bass secured their overall lead to win the Northern area Championship. Angus/Isla Armstrong from West Kirby finished 2nd overall, with Will/Isabelle Crocker from Welton 3rd, equal on points, but losing out on countback.
Mirror Northern Areas final results
More consistent sailing by Gareth Ede earned him 1st overall ahead of John Terry 2nd, and George Evans 3rd. At the prize giving Gareth thanked the club on behalf of the visitors for an enjoyable weekend.
Catapult TT final results
After the prize giving, the club sailors went out for their final race of the weekend series. The sun broke through, and the wind settled to offer champagne sailing conditions at the end of a busy weekend’s sailing.
Neil/Rory took another win to secure the Jak Pot trophy for F15s, with Robbie D/Ian 2nd.
Matt/Oliver won the May Holiday Trophy in the handicap fleet, with Scumper in RS100 2nd, and Chris/Laura in RS200 3rd
Val/Ken won the final race, but it was Dave/Lynn that won the Lyne Tankard for GPs, with Val/Ken 2nd, and James/Jenny 3rd.
A couple of wins by Alex/Saskia in a Mirror won them the Peel Pot, with Phil/Oliver 2nd, and Andy/Izzy/Olivia 3rd.
Jak Pot final results
Soggy Start to Weekend
After some glorious days through the week, with plenty of sunshine and wind, Saturday started with torrential rain, which eased as the day moved on, but there was a lack of wind.
The mirror like conditions were broken up by zephyrs, which had Mike and Jack itching to race, but there was a lack of enthusiasm by others, and the mirror like returned, so racing was abandoned for the day.
By Sunday the forecast rain had passed through but the NNE light breeze was slow to develop, so it called for an early lunch, after which the wind had filled in, and continued to increase.
By 1.15 racing was underway. James/Jenny were a bit too eager and had excellent start, albeit they were lined up with the handicap fleet!
Throughout the afternoon the wind varied in strength as different major shifts hit the course.
BL etc latest results (when available)
The second race, the Albert Bates retirement trophy, normally sailed around the lake, immediately followed on. There was a major shift from the east at the start but the wind soon backed to the north. Fortunately the rain held off until racing was over.
Albert Bates Retirement Trophy results (when available)
Sunny Saturday
After a wet few days, the sun shone on Saurday, but the wind was a little shy. A light sea breeze counteracted the forecast NE for the first race in the MJM series, but as it eased, it slowed down proceedings, and the wind swung to the NNE. Matt/Oliver led the 15 boats, and won the first race on handicap.
With time passing waiting for the last boat to finish, and the need to reposition the start line, a small course in the limited part of the lake with wind was set, and racing got underway. However, with fears that the wind would fade again, the race was quickly shortened (probably to the relief of all the sailors). Though Steve/Ruth crossed the line first, Matt/Oliver were close enough to win again on handicap, and lead the series, with Pix/Jack 2nd.
Sunday’s SE F1-2 wind seemed to be a pleasant surprise for many as they were expecting light winds. With the Bates having an off day, racing was started from the shore with a somewhat port biased line!. The reach back on the final leg was tight enough to challenge sailors as to whether or not they should fly their spinnakers.
After lunch the Bates was up and running again, so the course took advantage of the wind veering more to the south, although it had slightly eased from the morning.
With relatively steady winds throughout the day, positions were relatively static. Steve/Ruth in their Merlin� led the fleet again in the morning but finished 2rd on handicap behind Alex in a Laser, and� Matt/Oliver in their RS200 who led after lunch, and won, to lead the series.
Easter Weekend 2023
A busy weekend at the club started with an Easter egg hunt on the sunny Saturday morning.
Afterwards, the adjacent photo shows an alternative egg hunt when Henry lost his egg in the pool table!
Those that have replaced their boats through the close season were keen to set them up and get on the water. However, whatever wind there had been faded unfortunately, and there was not enough wind to get racing underway, so there was a postponement, before it was abandoned for the day.
Sunday’s forecast SSE F3-4 came to fruition, though without too many heavy gusts. The OD took the opportunity to use a windward/leeward course between 0 and 7 for the main fleets which some of the F15 sailors did not fully appreciate when they came ashore for lunch! There were many planing conditions, and various capsizes throughout the morning.
The two races after lunch were, generally, in slightly lighter winds, but with good planing opportunities. A couple of gybe marks in the courses caught several sailors out so kept the rescue crews occupied.
Three races in windy conditions proved to be too much for some, so there were various retirements.
Through the day there were 42 starters across the four fleets. The overnight leaders of three fleets each have three wins – Andy/Ian in the F15s, Dave/Lynn in the GPs, and Phil/Oliver in the Slow handicap fleet. Pix/Matt lead the Fast handicap with a 2nd and a 1st.
Monday was forecast to be wet and windy. With a SW wind it didn�t look too bad from the shore, and just as the committee boat set out there were some sprinklings of rain – fortunately they didn�t last long!
There were various strong gusts in the first race that caused multiple capsizes, but there were plenty of good spinnaker reaches to make up for the odd swim.
The races were held back to back to avoid the forecast downpours, but numerous boats thought one race was enough so numbers were reduced for the final race. The wind eased considerably so there were no capsizes or exciting reaches in the final race, and the rain held off too!
In the F15s, the Easterly Trophy was won by Andy/Ian with five wins, with Robbie D/Toggle 2nd, and Andy T/Keith 3rd.
In the handicap fleet, Pix/Matt won the Easter Trophy, with John Reekie 2nd, and Phil/Oscar 3rd.
Dave/Lynn won the Bass Tankard in the GPs, with Alan/Sue 2nd.
Phil/Oliver won the Image Trophy in the slow handicap fleet, with Alex/Saskia 2nd, and Matty 3rd
April already!
Saturday sailing got underway this weekend with another chilly breeze from the NE. There may have been April showers in the locaility, but they stayed away from the lake.
Generally, the winds eased throughout the afternoon, and the forecast gusts never materialised, so there were no capsizes. The handicap fleet of nine boats was led by Pix/Evie in their RS200 with Matt/Oliver in their RS200 giving them some close competition, with positions being reversed in the second race resulting in Matt taking the lead in the series, with Pix 2nd, and Mike/Jack in their Graduate 3rd.
In the slow handicap fleet of five boats, Lucy opted to sail with dad Phil in the Mirror while mum Na was left to sail single handed. It proved to be a team that Na couldn’t beat in either race!
Sunday morning the wind was light and swinging. Racing got underway just after 1200, but the wind soon swung more to the south resulting in a very one sided beat!
After lunch there was the first pennant race of the season. Not sufficient wind to go around the lake (or probably start!), but most of the 12 sailors persevered in a course that stubbornly avoided the incoming NE breeze! The wind direction was variable on each of the four legs. Matt/Oliver had led the race only to round the final mark the wrong way so lost out on 1st place to Pix/Evie. Mike/Jack finished 3rd
Eric Twiname Trust pennant final results
Sandra’s Salver latest results