Burghfield Breezer braced to blow away Boxing Day blues

The Burghfield Breezer © Tim Olin / www.olinphoto.co.uk

Event #3 of the Seldén SailJuice Winter Series is the Burghfield Breezer, a brand new one-day competition near Reading on 27 December. The Brass Monkey and Grafham Grand Prix have both been postponed...

The Burghfield Breezer is set to help blow away the Christmas and Boxing Day blues with a handicap and pursuit race event aimed at dinghies ranging from a Mirror to a 49er. Taking place on the 27 December, this is the third event in the Seldén SailJuice Winter Series.

With a maximum entry of 100 boats, and the discounted period closing at the end of 23 December, now is the best time to sign up. Online entry closes on 26 December. Some of the big names are already entered including Nick Craig and Pete Nicholson in a GP14, Steve and Sarah Cockerill in an RS400 and Laser/ILCA star Sam Whalley in an RS Aero. Tom Gillard and Rachael Gray are back in their Merlin Rocket after their recent victory at Event #2, the Datchet Flyer.

The Datchet Flyer - photo © Tim Olin / www.olinphoto.co.uk

Enter at www.sailjuiceseries.com

You can also pre-order food at the venue, but it has to be done by 5 pm on Thursday 23rd December.

The food booking can be via www.burghfieldsailing.org/event/burghfield-breezer-sailjuice-event-1

Meanwhile the Yorkshire Dales Brass Monkey and Grafham Grand Prix have both been postponed due to concerns about Covid.

After the first two rounds of the Selden Sailjuice Winter Series 2021-2022, below is an update across the various rankings.

Overall

29 boats have competed in both rounds of the Seldén SailJuice Winter Series, with Fernhurst Books Draycote Dash Winners, Roger Gilbert and Roger McGrane (505 - Netley SC) topping the rankings, from last winter's runner up, Luke Fisher (RS Vareo - Emberton Park SC)

enter.sailracer.org/eventsites/content.asp?id=48279&eventid=222049

Trident Top Club

After Seldén SailJuice Winter Series Round 2 there are now 64 clubs on the Trident Top Club leaderboard, with Lymington Town SC dominating at Datchet. Draycote Water SC fielding a strong team to take second place at Datchet and hang onto top spot for the Trident Top Club rankings.

Craftinsure Family Rankings

It was good to see a growing number of family teams out at Datchet, either sailing together in the same boat or across separate boats. The Bird family (Enterprise) again dominated the rankings, with Chris Larr and daughter Abigail (RS400) second, and the Blakes (Osprey), third place. These three also make up the overall podium after two rounds.

enter.sailracer.org/eventsites/content.asp?id=48262&eventid=222049&templ=222049

Top Class

The Laser (ILCA 7) class had three boats in the top 10 at the Datchet Flyer, so not surprising they were top class at Round 2 and moved up three places to be second overall. The 505 class hold onto the top spot, with the RS Aero 7s completing the podium.

enter.sailracer.org/eventsites/content.asp?id=48260&eventid=222049&templ=222049

Youth and Juniors

There was a big youth and junior fleet out at Datchet, including 17 entries in the 420, and others from Laser 4.7 (ILCA 4) and RS Feva classes. Alice Davis and Oliver Rayner (420 - Great Moor SC) were top Youths at Datchet, with Maddie Childs (Laser Radial (ILCA 6) - King George Sailing Club), topping the overall leaderboard after two rounds of Seldén SailJuice Winter Series.

19-30s

The Laser (ILCA 7) sailors dominated the 19-30 age group, with Ben Flower, Jack Hopkins and Thomas Brindley completing the podium at Datchet, and Ben leading overall after two rounds, from the RS200 of James Williams and Ellie Craig (RS Aero 7) in third.

enter.sailracer.org/eventsites/results_mainp.asp?eventid=222049&templ=222049&classtype=19-30

31-60s

Tom Gillard and Rachael Gray (Merlin - Staunton Harold SC) opened their Seldén SailJuice Winter Series 2021/22 campaign with an emphatic win at Datchet, topping their age category. Overall Roger Gilbert and Roger McGrane (505 - Netley SC) are first, from Luke Fisher (RS Vareo - Emberton Park SC) and Peter Barton (RS Aero 7 - Lymington Town SC)

enter.sailracer.org/eventsites/results_mainp.asp?eventid=222049&templ=222049&classtype=31-60

Masters

Overall leader Nigel Bird (Enterprise) also topped the competitive Masters group at Datchet.

enter.sailracer.org/eventsites/results_mainp.asp?eventid=222049&templ=222049&classtype=Masters

Great British Sailing Challenge (GBSC) boat type rankings

The Datchet Flyer saw a wide range of classes (34) entered, from Toppers to Formula 18 cats, and including Flying 15 keelboats and National 18s, showcasing the fantastic diversity of the UK small boat racing scene. The GBSC group boats to similar types and scores on an extracted results basis.

Fast Symmetric

This group attracted a star-studded line-up, with multiple champion and previous SailJuice Winter Series winner Tom Gillard, sailing with Rachael Gray (Merlin) winning the GBSC Fast Symmetric Group, from another multiple champion Roger Gilbert, sailing with Ben McGrane. Completing the podium was Olympic Gold Medalist, Dylan Fletcher in the National 18, crewed by Michael Wilson and Ben Batchelor.

Fast Asymmetric

The RS400s dominated the Fast Asymmetric group at Datchet, with Nicholas Charles and Chris Martin (Burghfield SC) 1st, Jon Heissig and Nicky Griffin (Llangorse SC) 2nd and Chris and Abigail Larr (Draycote Water SC) 3rd. Overall Jon and Nicky lead from the Larrs, with Jonathan Carter (Vortex - Rickmansworth SC) completing the podium.

Slow Symmetric

With a big entry of singlehanders and a variety of doublehanded symmetric boats, this type of boat made up the bulk of the Datchet Flyer entry. Nick Craig and Toby Lewis (GP14 - Burghfield SC) won the Slow Symmetric group, Alex Horlock (Supernova - Warsash SC) 2nd, and Alice Davis and Oliver Rayner (420 - Great Moor SC) 3rd. Overall the Birds (Enterprise) lead, from Peter Barton (RS Aero 7) and fellow class mate Ellie Craig third.

Slow Asymmetric

With good RS Vareo and RS200 fleets competing at Datchet it was not a surprise to see them heading the Slow Asymmetric Group. 1st Luke Fisher (RS Vareo), 2nd Alex Smallwood and Tom Kosteletos (RS200), 3rd James Williams and Sarah Tuppen (RS200). Overall Luke Fisher (RS Vareo) leads from James Williams and Sarah Tuppen (RS200), with Nick Crickmore (RS Vareo) third.

Top Lady

Alice Davis (420) was Top Lady at Datchet, followed by Ellie Craig (RS Aero 7) and Millie Irish (420) 3rd. Overall Ellie Craig (RS Aero 7), leads from Serena Stewardson (Supernova) and Maddie Childs Laser Radial (ILCA 6) third.

To enter the Burghfield Breezer and other events in the Series: www.sailjuiceseries.com

The Events

The following events are in the Seldén SailJuice Winter Series 2021/22:

• Fernhurst Books Draycote Dash, Draycote Water SC
  20 & 21 November 2021

• Datchet Flyer, Datchet Water Sailing Club 11 & 12 December 2021

• POSTPONED - Yorkshire Dales Brass Monkey, Yorkshire Dales SC
  27 December 2021

• Burghfield Breezer, Burghfield Sailing Club
  27 December 2021

• POSTPONED - Grafham Grand Prix, Grafham Water Sailing Club
  2 January 2022

• Bloody Mary, Queen Mary Sailing Club
  8 January 2022

• King George Gallop, King George Sailing Club
  22 January 2022

• John Merricks Tiger Trophy, Rutland Sailing Club
  5 & 6 February 2022

• Oxford Blue, Oxford Sailing Club
  19 February 2022