Solution Open at Northampton Sailing Club
by Jack Turnbull 12 Nov 2019 22:54 PST
2-3 November 2019
Solution sailors enjoy fireworks night at Northampton © Jack Turnbull
The final event of the Solution calendar this year took place at Northampton SC with a mixed forecast. Eight boats arrived in high spirits with good numbers from the N12, Enterprise & Lark fleets also joining us.
Saturday morning we were greeted with great conditions but an interesting forecast. After the disappointment of another world cup journey coming to an anticlimactical end, the forecast was right with white horses screaming down the lake, racing was postponed for a couple of hours. Once the wind had dropped off, five of the eight sailors made their way out the startline. The Solutions were starting third following Larks and chased by Enterprises.
The first race provided a close fought race between Josh, Kevin and Jack whilst the wind was still up. The second race saw Jack and Paul swap places with newcomer Richard giving Jack a run for his sail. After the delay to racing we just about made it back in before all the daylight had disappeared by a matter of minutes.
In the evening the club held BBQ style food, a huge bonfire and fireworks as well, but one thing they didn't have was pudding so Jack and Kevin may have found a small snack elsewhere.
Sunday morning dawned with decidedly less wind but more enthusiasm.
Kevin thought that staying ashore would be best for his sanity so seven boats went out for four back to back races. Josh carried on where he left off from Saturday winning the opening two races with Paul and Peter sharing second places. Paul realised he liked being near the front and won the final two races of the day with Josh and Kathryn taking second.
Peter had a solid end to the open picking up consecutive thirds and Richard's overall consistent results making overall third place a very close contest. But unfortunately nobody could quite do enough to take it from Jack.
Overall Results:
1st Josh Hamer (Glossop)
2nd Paul Nix (Glossop)
3rd Jack Turnbull (Redoubt)
4th Richard Brown (Great Yarmouth & Gorleston)
5th Peter Blackman (Burghfield)
6th Kathryn Clark (Delph)
7th Kevin Clark (Delph)
8th Martin Tubb (Leigh & Lowton)