Hadron H2 Solent Trophy at Warsash Sailing Club
by Keith Callaghan 8 Oct 2023 20:29 BST
7-8 October 2023
Hadron H2 Solent Trophy at Warsash © Keith Callaghan
Warsash Sailing Club is one of the favourite venues for the Hadron H2s. The Hamble club hosted the first H2 Nationals in 2017 when every H2 then built attended and we have been back nearly every year since. This year the racing for the Solent Trophy was held on October 7-8, the last H2 event of the season.
October can of course be very autumnal but the 13 entries were blessed with warm sunshine and on the Saturday a brisk 15-20 knot breeze - champagne sailing in October! Race officer Nigel Russel set a trapezoid course which ensured that the H2s got their fair share of reaching for everyone to enjoy. Perhaps it was no surprise to see Richard Leftley and Richard Le Mare battling it out for the first two places in each of the four races, with two wins and two second places each. However, the third placed competitor was a surprise - Steven Hendon (Blithfield SC), a newcomer to the class, having taken possession only three weeks ago of the first H2 moulded by Winder Boats, notched up a 4th place and three thirds.
It was a very tired group of sailors who made their way back to the clubhouse after over four hours on the water but a convivial evening meal at the club in the company of the Finn fleet set up everyone for the following day.
But it was not to be. On Sunday morning the smoke could be seen rising vertically from the Fawley refinery chimneys and with no improvement by midday the racing was abandoned. Richard Leftley was declared the winner, having beaten Richard Le Mare in the fourth race, but he had left early so attended the prize-giving by video - a technological first for the class!
So, in summary, a great weekend weather-wise, a super-hospitable club, and great racing on one day. Thanks to all club members, afloat and ashore, who helped make the event a great success.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Sail No | Helm | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | Pts |
|---|
| 1st | 145 | Richard Leftley | Bowmoor SC | ‑2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 2nd | 156 | Richard Le Mare | Warsash SC | 1 | ‑2 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 3rd | 166 | Steven Hendon | Blithfield SC | ‑4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
| 4th | 105 | Tim Garvin | Queen Mary SC | 3 | 4 | 4 | ‑5 | 11 |
| 5th | 154 | Adrian Williams | Warsash SC | 5 | 10 | 3 | ‑8 | 16 |
| 6th | 159 | Josh Hamer | Glossop SC | 6 | 6 | 5 | ‑7 | 17 |
| 7th | 131 | Roger Millett | Chichester SC | ‑8 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 19 |
| 8th | 146 | Andrew McGaw | Grafham Water SC | 7 | 7 | ‑8 | 6 | 20 |
| 9th | 148 | Dave Barker | Draycote Water SC | ‑10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 28 |
| 10th | 127 | Chris Brown | RORC | 11 | ‑13 | 10 | 9 | 30 |
| 11th | 152 | Ian Dawson | Warsash SC | 9 | 10 | ‑14 | 14 | 33 |
| 12th | 113 | Neil Smythe | Paignton SC | 13 | 11 | 11 | ‑14 | 35 |
| 13th | 150 | Stephen Oliver | Warsash SC | 12 | 12 | ‑14 | 14 | 38 |