Clevedon Sailing Club Lunatics Trophy 2021

Pre-start rigging ahead of the Clevedon Lunatics Trophy 2021 © Mike Batchelor

Clevedon Sailing Club rounded off the 2021 season with its annual 'Lunatics Trophy' race on 27th December. Eleven boats took to the water on a rainy day with a Southerly wind off the shore which inevitably leads to very viable and gusty conditions. Race Officer Mike Batchelor set a starboard hand triangular course with the first buoy set out in the tide to avoid windless areas close to the shore.

The two Aeros of Martin Gibson and Stuart Turner got away cleanly from the first start and took advantage of the gusty off wind legs to open out a lead from the following bunch of boats. The beat back inshore proved tricky with Gibson slowly pulling away from Turner. Jon Summers led the following Laser Radials with Chris Cooper in pursuit ahead of Seamus Ryan and Jayne Haden in the 505 and Sarah Hotchkiss in her Solo. Gibson held the lead to finish with Turner 2nd and Summers 3rd on corrected time.

Race 2 saw most of the fleet bunched together with the 505 getting to the first mark just ahead of the Aeros with Martin White's Laser Radial close behind. The three leading boats stayed together down the first beat but Gibson managed to break free in the fickle conditions inshore at the end of the leg. The following boats enjoyed better wind conditions on both beats and Cooper and Hotchkiss were never far behind.

'Newbie' Laser sailors Amy Turner and Adam Davies did well in the trying conditions to finish both races. Gibson took first place again with Hotchkiss 2nd and Cooper 3rd.

Overall Results: (corrected to handicap)

1st Martin Gibson (Aero)
2nd Sarah Hotchkiss (Solo)
3rd Chris Cooper (Laser Radial)