Warsash Spring Series and Spring Championship 2011 prize giving

by Flavia Bateson on 24 May 2011 Warsash Spring Series and Spring Championship 2011 was organised by Warsash Sailing Club, Warsash, Hampshire and attracted over 200 boats with competitors coming from all parts of the UK as well as further afield.

Warsash Sailing Club was full to capacity on 20th May 2011 when the prize giving took place. Chairman Peter Bateson thanked the team of over 120 volunteers from the Club who made the event run smoothly and Rear Commodore Sailing Vicky Biggs invited fellow member and round-the-world sailor Mike Golding to present the trophies. The recently-elected Mayor and Mayoress of Fareham, Trevor and Ruth Cartwright, were also pleased to have one of their earliest official engagements at their home club.

As well as 54 prizes for individual classes, special awards were also made, the announcement being withheld until the night. The Commodore’s Cup is presented annually to the outstanding winner of an IRC class. This year it went to John Barrett and Paul Woodward whose First 35 Stiletto topped the 30-strong IRC3 class by counting only first and second places. This was an ample reward for the visiting Ramsgate-based team. The Founder’s Salver is presented in memory of Tom Cozens, a co-founder of Warsash Sailing Club 54 years ago and at that time a well-known face on the river as Hamble Harbourmaster. Awarded to a non-handicap class yearly, this went to Mike and Sarah Wallis from Alresford, members of the Royal Southern Yacht Club. Their boat Jahmali won the J/109 class which experienced some of the closest racing in the series.

Teams from the SB3 fleet had been unable to attend the prize giving due to their World Championship being concluded on that day in Torquay, but a roar of congratulations stole through the clubhouse as news came through during the evening that Warsash member Geoff Carveth had carried off the world title in a highly competitive international fleet. Geoff’s prize, along with others unable to be presented personally, will be kept safely for collection from the Club.

The 29th edition of the Warsash Spring Series starts on Sunday 18th March 2012.

Warsash Spring Series – class winners:
IRC 1 - Ran, Farr 45, Niklas Zennstrom
IRC 2 - Trustmarque, Playing Around, Peter Robson
IRC 3 - Stiletto, First 35, John Barrett & Paul Woodward
IRC 4 - Erik the Red, Mustang 30, Bernard Fyans
J/109 - Jahmali, Mike & Sarah Wallis
Sigma 38 - Rapscallion, Diamond family and friends
J/80 - Aqua – J, Patrick Liardet
Laser SB3 - 3 Sad Old Blokes, Jerry Hill

Warsash Spring Championship – class winners:
Big Boat 1 class - Bob, Farr 52, Rob Gray, Sam Laidlaw & Tony Hayward
Big Boat 2 class - Tokoloshe, King 40, Michael Bartholomew
Farr 45 - Ran, Farr 45, Niklas Zennstrom
First 40.7 - Trustmarque Playing Around, Peter Robson
J/109 - Velvet Elvis, Velvet Elvis Racing
Laser SB3 - Spirit of Cape Town, Roger Hudson
J/80 - Henri Lloyd Shockwave, Dan Brown
Quarter Tonners - Alice II, Rickard Warsash Sailing Club website