Miracle Puddleduck Open at Broadwater SC

by Kevin Morgan on 25 Apr 2012

Miracle Puddleduck Open 2012 was held at Broadwater Sailing Club over the weekend of 21st and 22nd April. The weather running up to Broadwater’s first Miracle Puddleduck was very poor with a week of gloom, low temperatures, regular downpours and little wind. Nevertheless, six intrepid visiting crews joined the fleet of eight home boats and all were rewarded with a wonderful weekend of sailing!

Our visitors represented sailing clubs from various directions: Thornbury and Maidenhead to the west, Redoubt and Wilsonian in the east and Draycote Water from the Midlands – we were very pleased to welcome them and their families to Broadwater.

Over the weekend the wind varied in strength from mild to exciting and shifted between north and west. David Walford, Race Officer, set challenging courses using the considerable width and length of the lake. The predictable melee at the start of all five races meant spectators were treated to the novel sight of 14 Miracles vying for position.

Saturday’s two races started after an excellent lunch and took place in bright sunshine with a freshening wind. A pattern soon emerged with the visiting boats vying for the top six positions. Race one began with a pin end start and saw Tracy Amos and Gemma Gibosn tacking off into the distance from the start not to be caught. Similarly in race two Neal Gibson and Brian Mumford took the lead with a port flyer and stayed in front throughout. Clare and Stewart recorded the home club’s best position of the weekend with a creditable fifth place in race two.

Whilst the first six places were tied up by the visiting boats, a ‘midfield pack’ of 4/5 BSC boats enjoyed close racing and the same also took place at the rear – F1 supporters will recognise the similarities! We were pleasantly surprised to be able to retire to the clubhouse without having seen a drop of rain which stayed off until 7 p.m. when all boats had already been stowed away and a fish and chip dinner was also being stowed away! The storm outside was not noticed as we were entertained to an after dinner sing song thanks to Greg from BSC.

Sunday morning dawned with bright sunshine, another freshening wind and the sweet smell of a full English breakfast!. A 9.45 start to our third race placed the Miracle fleet ahead of the BSC club pursuit race and saw a close tussle from start to finish with the lead changing on a number of occasions and Hannah and Nick Smith recording first place. Following a break for tea, coffee and cake race four got underway and Neal and Brian won a close-fought battle with Gemma and Tracy to record their second top place.

Race five followed another superb lunch with everything to sail for… any one of four boats could win the trophy. As it turned out the racing was not the only excitement as the weather finally caught up with us! A huge, ominous black cloud swept across the lake and the wind reached its blustery peak as hail and rain descended in buckets! The storm caused one or two capsizes and subsequent retirements but did not dampen spirits – indeed it served to show just how lucky we had been to have such good weather throughout the balance of the weekend!

Returning to the F1 analogy the inclement weather enabled some ‘smaller teams’ to record good results. The tussle at the ‘front of the grid’ was resolved when Tracy and Gemma were placed second behind Neal and Brian who recorded, with discards, a perfect 1 + 1 + 1 overall result making them worthy winners of the impressive Miracle Association Puddleduck Trophy for 2012. Further congratulations go to Tracy and Gemma for second, Brian and Paul third, and to John Green and his crews Pam (Saturday) and Catherine (Sunday) for top non-spinnaker boat. Pete and Bob were the highest placed BSC crew with an overall seventh just ahead of John’s boat and that sailed by Joyce and Jason – both novice miracle sailors!

Many thanks go to David Walford for the racing, Catherine and Charlotte Walford for the tasty food and to the many other BSC members who contributed towards the event behind the scenes. Finally huge thanks go to the eight BSC Miracle crews for supporting our first Puddleduck and the visitors from other clubs who travelled to the event despite the ominous weather forecast We were all rewarded with an excellent weekend and l look forward to an even bigger fleet for next year’s Puddleduck!

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