They think it's all over
by Peter Gee 15 Dec 2021 17:20 GMT
A windy November weekend for the 420 End of Seasons at Grafham Water SC © Paul Sanwell / OPP
After twenty Open Meetings and three Championships, the 2021 open meeting season at Grafham Water SC is finally over.
The season started shortly after lockdown finished in April with the Youth Regatta and Optimist Easter Egg and finished with the 420 end of seasons in November. 1500 boats have visited the club in this period. The start-gun has been triggered an estimated 200 times, and the black flag used more than once.
The biggest fleets of the year have been the Optimist Early Summer Championship, Topper Not the Nationals, RYA Eastern Region Junior Championships, RS Inlands, ILCA Masters Inlands and the well-loved Cat Open. Other classes to visit Grafham Water this year include Flying Fifteens, Merlin Rockets, 29ers, Moths, D-zeros, Solos and RS600s.
Nigel Denchfield, Grafham Water SC's Open Meeting organiser said, "It has been a pleasure to welcome so many different classes and competitors to Grafham Water this summer. The standard of competition has been fantastic and there has been a good social vibe. We are very fortunate in that we have a very large expanse of water with relatively few trees giving us clear wind conditions. I would like to thank the many Race Officers and army of volunteers who have enabled all of these events to run smoothly."
The club plans another busy season for 2022 with another 17 meetings planned including the 40th Grafham Grand Prix on 2nd January, the National School Sailing Association championship, Topper National Series and Optimist end of seasons.
Any class looking ahead for an inland venue for a championship or open meeting for 2023/24 should contact Nigel at office@grafham.org.
Grafham Water Sailing Club is located in Perry, near Huntingdon. The club is now accepting winter membership at a discounted rate for the period through to 31st March 2022.
See www.grafham.org for more information.