2022 Noble Marine Lightning 368 Traveller's Trophy at Sutton-in-Ashfield Sailing Club

Five visitors joined the lone local sailor for the 4th event in the Noble Marine Lightning 368 Travellers Trophy Series at Sutton in Ashfield SC, the last open meeting at the club before it closes this coming September after 63 years of existence, due to termination of the club's lease by the local council, in order to allow a commercial development to be built on the site.

Race 1

Jeremy Cooper had the best of the start at the pin end, with the fleet spread down the line. Tony Jacks, despite an average start at the other end of the line, carried on to the port side of the course whilst the rest tacked away, and got a shift and a lift to the 1st mark and rounded marginally in the lead from Jeremy. Mervyn Berry, in the oldest boat, soon joined the fray at the front, and due to the wind changes on the day, there were many changes for the lead between these leading 3 boats, who kept well ahead of the others. The race ended with Mervyn at the front, Tony coming in 2nd and Jeremy in 3rd place.

Race 1 winner Mervyn Berry out front in the lead during the Sutton-in-Ashfield Lightning 368 Open - photo © Caroline Hollier

Race 2

For the 2nd race there was a course change, and the race started again with Jeremy going off in a different direction to the rest of the fleet, which resulted in him reaching the 1st mark first followed closely by Tony. After rounding the 1st mark, Tony headed for the wrong mark, but on noticing this Jeremy gave Tony the heads up so that Tony could correct his mistake. At this point, Mervyn was in 3rd, but got headed on the long leg down the reservoir, letting local John Butler through for a short period. On the last lap around the course, with Jeremy leading followed very closely by Tony, there was a shift in wind at the bottom mark which gave Tony an advantage, placing him in the windward position rather than to leeward, making for a tight finish across the line, with Tony coming in 1st and Jeremy a close 2nd on Tony's tail by less than half a boat's length. The wind dropped towards the end as the remaining sailors approached the finish, and Mervyn held on to 3rd ahead of Bryan Westley.

Jeremy Cooper leads Tony Jacks in light conditions during the Sutton-in-Ashfield Lightning 368 Open - photo © Caroline Hollier

Race 3

All boats got off to a good tight start, with Jeremy just in the lead from John at the 1st mark, and a bunched fleet following, headed by Tony. John was gobbled up quickly on the run, with Tony getting close to Jeremy by the leeward mark. Despite being relegated to last on the run, John tacked away to the port side on the next beat, found a big shift, tacked and found another, and to the amazement of everyone rounded marginally in the lead from Jeremy. Normal service was soon restored, with Tony battling it out with Jeremy at the front, and Jason Gallagher drifting through from last to 3rd on the run, with Bryan in 4th, and Mervyn and John fading badly at the end. Close to the finish Tony broke Jeremy's resistance to take the win, and with it the event.

Jeremy Cooper battling it out at the front with John Butler during the Sutton-in-Ashfield Lightning 368 Open - photo © Caroline Hollier

Tony Jacks was a clear winner, his first on the circuit, and Mervyn Berry edged Jeremy Cooper by virtue of his race win, after finishing on equal points.

The next event in the Travellers Trophy series will be at Shotwick Lake SC near Chester on Saturday 11th June.

Overall Results:

Competitors at the Sutton-in-Ashfield Lightning 368 Open - photo © Caroline Hollier