Enterprise Midland Series at Sutton Sailing Club

This event, the second in the 2009 Midland area Double Chine series sponsored by Speed Sails, was held at Sutton SC on Saturday 4th April.

The ten boats included visitors from as far away as Wigan, Sheffield, Northampton, and other more local clubs, who enjoyed a dry sunny day with a moderate westerly wind.

In the first race, Steve Graham and James Hill (Northampton SC) was first at the windward mark and continued to lead for a lap until Alan and Matt Johnson (SCYC) passed them.

Steve and James and Ges Brown and Dennis Swain (Hallamshire) then continued to battle with each other with Steve and James regaining second place on the penultimate lap. At the finish Alan and Matt were first, Steve and James second, Ges and Dennis third and Paul Young and Therese o` Toole (Brookvale and Sparkhill SC) fourth.

After an excellent lunch the second race started on a slightly different course, at the first mark it was Alan and Matt who led followed by Paul and Therese and then Kevin Rose and Naomi Bilton (Olton Mere SC). Alan and Matt built on their lead whilst behind Paul and Therese and Ges and Dennis battled for second. On the second lap Ges and Dennis seized second position which they held to the finish. Behind, Paul and Therese remained in third, with Steve and James and Mike Cossey and Christine Barron (Tamworth SC) battling hard for fourth.

On the last lap the excitement built as Paul and Therese, Steve and James and Mike and Christine caught up and lapped the back markers on a busy gusty gybe mark in front of the clubhouse, Paul and Therese just held onto third place with Mike and Christine reading the windshifts well to snatch fourth place and leave Steve and James to rue their ill fortune.

A windshift before the start of the third race saw the fleet starting at the other end of the line. Alan and Matt led at the first mark with Ges and Dennis second. The following broad reach saw the fleet close up and become very compact at the leeward mark. Steve and James and Mike and Christine, emerged from this to battle for third place. Paul and Therese recovered from a bad start to gain third by the next windward mark. Ges and Dennis gave Alan and Matt a much closer race passing them to lead only for Alan and Matt to retake the lead by lap four. Some close racing saw Steve and James finish third with Mike and Christine fourth.

Alan Johnson thanked everyone at Sutton SC and the other competitors for an excellent day.

Overall Results:

1st 19876 Alan Johnson/Matt Johnson (South Caernarvonshire YC) 2pts
2nd 23194 Ges Brown/Dennis Swain (Hallamshire) 4pts
3rd 23223 Steve Graham/James Hill (Northampton SC/Sutton SC) 5pts
4th 22901 Paul Young/Therese o` Toole (Brookvale and Sparkhill SC) 7pts
5th 22823 Mike Cossey/Christine Barron (Tamworth SC) 8pts
6th 22619 Kevin Rose/Naomi Bilton (Olton Mere SC) 11pts
7th 20517 Mike Hughes/Alex Hughes (Sutton SC) 14pts
8th 22939 John Wilber/Georgina Fletcher (Sutton SC) 16pts
9th 22556 Dave Batsford/Joy Batsford (Sutton SC) 17pts
10th 23228 Steve Orme/Elaine Herlihy (Redditch SC) 18pts