Scorpion Open Inlands at Grafham Water SC
by Simon Gillow on 28 Apr 2012
Scorpion Inlands 2012 at Grafham Water SC Richard Janulewicz /
www.fotoboat.com
The Scorpion Open Inlands 2012 were held on 21st and 22nd April at Grafham Water Sailing Club. 24 Scorpions braved chilly temperatures, killer shrimp and Feva parents to attend the Scorpion Open. Six races were sailed over the weekend on a triangle/sausage course shared with the Flying Fifteens and Larks. A number of the fleet have bought new boats over the winter and are also experimenting with new twin-pole systems so it was to be an interesting event to see what effect these changes had on the results.
On Saturday the wind started at a nice 10mph but this occasionally picked up a bit as each new black cloud came over. Race one got underway under a black flag, Tom Jeffcoate/Mark Hogan and Pete Gray/Rich Pepperdine made the best of the shifts up the first beat and finished in that order just ahead of a fast finishing Andy McKee/Tarren Jones. Race two saw Andy/Tarren take the lead ahead of the wooden boat of Tom Gillard/Andy Thompson. Race three saw Andy/Tarren make the most of the shifts to lead round the first mark followed by Simon Gillow/Fiona Brett, on the final lap a big black cloud came and the wind increased to about 20mph, Tom/Mark managed to avoid the distraction of watching the Lark fleet death rolling down the run to take the lead while everyone else started reaching for their mast rake controls. The fleet made it ashore just in time to watch the Feva fleet pummeled by rain/hail from the warm dry clubhouse.
After the usual evening of fun and games the wind looked pretty similar on Sunday. In race four the fleet struggled to find the gybe mark, the majority headed for a bouy somewhere off the clubhouse before realising where the real mark was. Tom/Andy spotted it first and led from Steve/Sarah Cockerill who had overcome some twin pole teething issues overnight, Dave Wade/Ben Rayner came in third. Dave/Ben led race five followed by Tom/Andy and a fast finishing Simon/Fiona who overtook Tom/Mark on the final reach. Going into race six there were 3 boats who could possibly win the open, Tom/Andy took the lead and held it to the finish to take the open title ahead of Tom/Mark in second. Andy/Tarren finished fourth which gave them third overall.
All in all everyone had a great weekend and are looking forward to the next opens at Shotwick Lake on 6th May and Chew Valley on 12/13th May.
Full results:
|
Rank
|
Sail
No
|
Helm
Name
|
Crew
Name
|
Club
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
Total
|
Nett
|
|
1st
|
1976
|
Tom Gillard
|
Andy Thompson
|
Sheffield Viking
|
4.0
|
2.0
|
(25.0 DNC)
|
1.0
|
2.0
|
1.0
|
35.0
|
10.0
|
|
2nd
|
2025
|
Tom Jeffcoate
|
Mark Hogan
|
Notts County
|
1.0
|
3.0
|
1.0
|
(8.0)
|
4.0
|
2.0
|
19.0
|
11.0
|
|
3rd
|
2004
|
Andy McKee
|
Tarren Jones
|
Dovestone SC
|
3.0
|
1.0
|
2.0
|
4.0
|
(12.0)
|
4.0
|
26.0
|
14.0
|
|
4th
|
2026
|
Dave Wade
|
Ben Rayner
|
Northampton SC
|
5.0
|
(9.0)
|
5.0
|
3.0
|
1.0
|
3.0
|
26.0
|
17.0
|
|
5th
|
2023
|
Stephen Cockerill
|
Sarah Cockerill
|
Hill Head SC
|
(19.0)
|
4.0
|
4.0
|
2.0
|
5.0
|
5.0
|
39.0
|
20.0
|
|
6th
|
1947
|
Steve Walker
|
Jerry Hannabuss
|
Pennine
|
8.0
|
(12.0)
|
3.0
|
10.0
|
6.0
|
7.0
|
46.0
|
34.0
|
|
7th
|
2003
|
Simon Gillow
|
Fiona Brett
|
Chipstead SC
|
6.0
|
10.0
|
7.0
|
(14.0)
|
3.0
|
13.0
|
53.0
|
39.0
|
|
8th
|
2013
|
Pete Gray
|
Rich Pepperdine
|
Staunton Harold SC
|
2.0
|
5.0
|
8.0
|
17.0
|
9.0
|
(25.0 DNC)
|
66.0
|
41.0
|
|
9th
|
2017
|
Jack Banks
|
Penny Jeffcoate
|
Dovestone SC
|
9.0
|
7.0
|
10.0
|
7.0
|
(18.0)
|
8.0
|
59.0
|
41.0
|
|
10th
|
2024
|
Barry Wolfenden
|
Rachel Rhodes
|
Chipstead SC
|
15.0
|
6.0
|
6.0
|
9.0
|
(17.0)
|
9.0
|
62.0
|
45.0
|
|
11th
|
2028
|
Ryan Buchanan
|
Hannah Burke
|
Hill Head SC
|
12.0
|
(15.0)
|
14.0
|
6.0
|
8.0
|
6.0
|
61.0
|
46.0
|
|
12th
|
2010
|
John Clementson
|
Melanie Titmus
|
Chipstead SC
|
7.0
|
(16.0)
|
12.0
|
11.0
|
7.0
|
14.0
|
67.0
|
51.0
|
|
13th
|
1987
|
Matt Potter
|
Steve Grayam
|
Notts County
|
10.0
|
8.0
|
13.0
|
(20.0)
|
15.0
|
16.0
|
82.0
|
62.0
|
|
14th
|
2005
|
Janet Richie
|
Alan Richie
|
Chipstead SC
|
17.0
|
11.0
|
17.0
|
13.0
|
(25.0 DNC)
|
11.0
|
94.0
|
69.0
|
|
15th
|
1979
|
Alex Hayman
|
Dave Elston
|
Sidmouth/Lyme Regis
|
11.0
|
(25.0 DNC)
|
9.0
|
19.0
|
14.0
|
17.0
|
95.0
|
70.0
|
|
16th
|
1952
|
Elinor Pegg
|
Adam Parry
|
Yealm YC
|
13.0
|
(19.0)
|
18.0
|
12.0
|
13.0
|
15.0
|
90.0
|
71.0
|
|
17th
|
1967
|
Chris Massey
|
Charlotte Farmer
|
Dovestone SC
|
(18.0)
|
17.0
|
15.0
|
18.0
|
11.0
|
12.0
|
91.0
|
73.0
|
|
18th
|
1984
|
Richard Searle
|
Lucy Searle
|
Mill Head
|
14.0
|
18.0
|
(19.0)
|
15.0
|
19.0
|
10.0
|
95.0
|
76.0
|
|
19th
|
202
|
Tom Castle
|
Tim Hartley
|
Northampton SC
|
(25.0 DNC)
|
13.0
|
16.0
|
16.0
|
10.0
|
25.0 DNC
|
105.0
|
80.0
|
|
20th
|
1994
|
David Hannan
|
Mike Hannan
|
Hill Head SC
|
(25.0 DNC)
|
25.0 DNC
|
11.0
|
5.0
|
16.0
|
25.0 DNC
|
107.0
|
82.0
|
|
21st
|
1925
|
Martyn Denchfield
|
Harry Janes
|
Ripon SC/SWSC
|
(22.0)
|
21.0
|
20.0
|
22.0
|
20.0
|
18.0
|
123.0
|
101.0
|
|
22nd
|
1852
|
Carol Haines
|
Jon Haines
|
Elton SC
|
16.0
|
14.0
|
(25.0 DNC)
|
25.0 DNF
|
25.0 DNC
|
25.0 DNC
|
130.0
|
105.0
|
|
23rd
|
1963
|
Julie Holroyd
|
Paul Holroyd
|
Hunts Sailing Club
|
21.0
|
20.0
|
(25.0 DNC)
|
21.0
|
25.0 DNC
|
25.0 DNC
|
137.0
|
112.0
|
|
24th
|
2018
|
Nigel Potter
|
Tom Storey
|
Notts County
|
20.0
|
(25.0 DNC)
|
25.0 DNC
|
25.0 DNC
|
25.0 DNC
|
25.0 DNC
|
145.0
|
120.0
|
Scorpion Class Association website
If you want to link to this article then please use this URL: www.sail-world.com/96593