Merlin Rocket HD Sails Midland Circuit at Bartley Sailing Club
by Mark Reddington 7 Apr 2023 20:42 BST
Matt Biggs and Beka Jones win the HD Sails Midland Circuit event at Bartley © Anna Aylward
14 Merlin Rockets were welcomed at Bartley Sailing Club for the third round of the HD Sails Midland Circuit event. The forecasters had promised a day of sunshine and a light north easterly breeze but, as opposed to the warm welcome from the club, it was fully dampened by a cold, grey, wet start to the day!
Fortunately, the weather gods did deliver sunshine but not so much the breeze which can be best described as tricky.
Despite the difficult conditions Matt Biggs & Beka Jones treated us all to a masterclass in the art of sailing when the vital ingredient refuses to play ball, winning all four races.
There was another impressive string of consistent results from James Wells & Anna Aylward with Rob Kennaugh & Andy Prosser keeping them honest, in fact all three of the podium crews had their moments during the day by leading the way. Further down the fleet there was a lot of place changes with numerous "hero to zero" issues but everybody finished the day with smiles but tired bodies.
Steve Ward and his team did a sterling job on a day when nobody would want to be a race officer running two races before lunch in Tilly's Galley, and two after, and all off the water in good time for a beer and prize-giving.
The oldest boat prize went to 2734, a wooden classic sailed by Paul Atwell & Lindall Merry, with Millie Hardiman sailing with her dad taking the Junior prize. Colin & Sean Anderson won the Silver Fleet and Nigel & Freya Hudson the Bronze fleet.
So, the next round of the HD Sails Midland circuit will be at Burton Sailing Club on Sunday 4th June incorporating a class training day on Saturday 3rd June.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Fleet | Sail No | Boat name | Helm | Crew | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | Pts |
|---|
| 1st | Gold | 3801 | Pokey | BIGGS Matt | JONES Becka | Bartley SC | ‑1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 2nd | Gold | 3746 | Point n Squirt | WELLS James | AYLWARD Anna | RYA | 2 | 2 | ‑3 | 2 | 6 |
| 3rd | Gold | 3700 | Brazilian | KENNAUGH Rob | PROSSER Andy | Midland SC | ‑5 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
| 4th | Gold | 3716 | Carbon Footprint | LENEY Steve | LENEY Gillian | Blithfield SC | 3 | 4 | ‑6 | 4 | 11 |
| 5th | Silver | 3749 | Stanley | ANDERSON Colin | ANDERSON Sean | Blithfield SC | 4 | 5 | 4 | ‑8 | 13 |
| 6th | Silver | 3732 | Two Planks | HOLLIS Ben | PAUSEY Alex | Upper Thames | ‑6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 16 |
| 7th | Silver | 3667 | Last Gasp | KEELING Paul | KEELING Michele | Blithfield SC | 7 | ‑9 | 9 | 6 | 22 |
| 8th | Bronze | 3662 | Attack of the Clones | HUDSON Nigel | HUDSON Freya | Bartley SC | 8 | 7 | 8 | ‑9 | 23 |
| 9th | Bronze | 3742 | Speed Machine | EELES Howard | BENNETT Gavin | Bartley SC | ‑10 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 25 |
| 10th | Silver | 3805 | Nermal | REDDINGTON Mark | FOWLER Lewis | Bartley SC | 9 | 10 | (DNF) | 7 | 26 |
| 11th | Bronze | 3624 | Stab in the Dark | HARDIMAN Simon | HARDIMAN Millie | Bartley SC | 11 | ‑12 | 10 | 12 | 33 |
| 12th | Bronze | 3619 | Dark n Stormy | BROWNE Guy | MARTIN Greg | Trent Valley SC | 12 | 11 | ‑13 | 11 | 34 |
| 13th | Bronze/Classic | 3530 | Sir Topaz | COLLES Mike | MORGAN Lauren | Midland SC | ‑14 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 37 |
| 14th | Bronze/Classic | 2734 | Days of Future Past | ATWELL Paul | MERRY Lindall | Llangorse SC | 13 | ‑14 | 12 | 14 | 39 |