Scorpion Open at Glossop Sailing Club

by William Pinnock 27 May 2003 08:53 BST 25 May 2003

Photos © Dave Walker Photography

The morning had an good Northern look about it as cars and trailers began to arrive at Torside Reservoir: the trees were bending over in the breeze and the hard edged grey cloud sealed the roof of the valley, and seemed low enough to join with the water below it. This was enough to put one possible entrant off sailing, but the remaining hardy souls rigged their boats, and took to the water and were rewarded by a great day’s sailing and, even, some afternoon sunshine! Conditions were generally Force 3-4, and, coming up the valley from the West, the wind was fairly steady, with only occasional holes.

Race officer Richard Smith set a single long beat, with one tight and two broad spinnaker reaches back down the lake.

Visitors come from as far afield as Kent and Hampshire, but with a good contingent from over the border in Yorkshire, and there was a good mix of old hands and new blood in the thirteen strong fleet. Scorpion Association Chairman Steve Walker from Pennine SC, crewed by Kathryn Partington, had the measure of the conditions, and led the morning race from start to finish, with Oliver Whitehead and Matthew Hinchcliffe, also from Pennine, second. Jerry Hannabus from North Lincolnshire SC came in third, despite his crew, son Jonathon, forbidding him to set (or even carry!) the spinnaker.

Two races were held back to back in the afternoon in a wind which had freshened a little. Steve kept the top spot in both races, and Oliver took second in the second race but slipped back to fourth in the last, with Dave Pinchin and Matt Beardsworth from Scammonden Water getting second in the last race, which was enough to put them in third place overall. Jonathon Hannabus won the prize for First Junior.

Overall Results:

Pos	Sail No	Boat Name	Helm	Crew	Club	Pts
1st	1970	Custard Tart	Steve Walker	Kathryn Partington	Pennine	2
2nd	1931	The Business	Oliver Whitehead	Matthew Hinchcliffe	Pennine	4
3rd	1940	Wet n Wild	Dave Pinchin	Matt Beardsworth	Scammonden	5
4th	1853	Ghost Machine	Mark Lee	Paul Henshall	Port Dinorwic	7
5th	1947	Angel dust	J Hannabus	J Hannabus	North Lincs	9