Merlin Rocket Open at Midland Sailing Club

by Mike Anslow 29 Mar 2006 15:51 HKT 26 March 2006

Action from the Midland Merlin Rocket open © Paul Vokes

After a hard Saturday’s sailing at Banbury followed, in a few cases, by some serious partying the crews of 33 boats entered the Silver Tiller event at Midland Sailing Club on 26th March – the best turnout there for over 20 years. They were greeted by a southwesterly blowing up to force 4 with occasional showers.

Race Officer, Ian Smith, got the fleet away first time with Glen Truswell (3543) taking an early lead. Truswell and another 3 boats broke away from the pack, but he lost out as the race progressed. Mike Calvert (3626) beat Richard Whitworth (3670) in a very tight finish, with Julian Parry (3659) in third and Truswell fourth.

In Race 2 Truswell and Midland Circuit hero, Matt Biggs (3665), pulled away from the rest to concentrate on their own private battle. Truswell led for much of the race, but Biggs took advantage of a shift up a beat to take the gun. Dave Winder (3662) was third and Whitworth fourth.

Going into the final race the meeting was wide open, with any one of 4 or 5 boats standing a chance of winning. A wind bend at the pin end of the line caused two general recalls and by the time the fleet got away two of the contenders had been black flagged. Whitworth broke into the lead followed by Calvert and Chris Martin (3602). Calvert and Martin chased Whitworth hard and exchanged places a couple of times, but they were unable to catch the leader. All three finished within 10 seconds with Whitworth taking the gun and with it the trophy. Martin got through Calvert up the last beat to finish second, and Chris Haworth (3663) was fourth.

Overall Results:

Pos	Boat Name	Sail No	Helm	Crew	Club	R1	R2	R3	Pts
1	filthy georgeous	36	r whitworth	elena bremer	hollingworth lake	2	4	1	3
2	business as usual	3626	mike calvert	alex jackson	lyme regis	1	7	3	4
3	storm cloud	3543	glen truswell	jim lowbridge	beaver sc	4	2	DNC	6
4	zeno	3659	julian parry	pippa taylor	mlsc	3	9	5	8
5	attack of the clones	3662	dave winder	matt calvert	hollingworth lake	7	3	BFD	10
6	artemis	3653	judith massey	phil dalby	papercourt sc	5	6	DNC	11
7	unfinished business	3549	peter smith	nicki smith	blithfield	6	15	6	12
8	ambience	3602	chris martin	rob kennaugh	midland	14	11	2	13
9	bronte	3663	chris haworth	mike hamilton	blackpool fleetwood sc	9	14	4	13
10	mr brightside	3647	andrew davis	holly scott	bartley	8	5	BFD	13
11	still not over	3665	matt biggs	dave crockett	blithfield	13	1	BFD	14
12	scallywag	3565	andy bownes	helen ross	shustoke	DNS	13	7	20
13	lighyt fantastic	3555	andy dalby	chris robinson	tvsc	DNF	12	8	20
14	carbonator	3639	steven leney	gillian leney	blithfield sc	12	8	DNF	20
15	djelibeybi	3660	will rainey	rachel williamson	cookham	10	10	DNC	20
16	aunt fanny	3604	bob otoole	claire langholtz	parkstone yacht club	DNF	17	9	26
17	time zone	3569	steve watson	james hodgetts	midland	DNS	19	10	29
18	whire mischief	3437	david homer	chris homer	midland	19	20	12	31
19	steppenwolf	3542	dave fowler	daniel greenwood	RYA	16	16	DNC	32
20	heavy artillery	3482	guy browne	richard allum	trent valley sc	DNF	22	11	33
21	a fistfull of dollars	3375	keith garrett	sam williams	midland	DNF	21	13	34
22	smoked salmon	3518	julian harms	helen harms	midland	17	18	DNC	35
23	poached salmon	3644	duncan salmon	ian garwood	wembley	11	DNF	DNC	45
24	chambulls	3580	mark fuller	ben harridge	hampton sc	15	DNF	DNC	49
25	mistral	3587	frank fern	jenny parsons	earlswood	18	DNF	DNC	52
26	the entertainer	2706	mike anslow	richard neighbour	midland	DNF	DNC	DNC	68
26	love on the rocks	3489	richard turner	eric banning	banbury sc	DNS	DNC	DNC	68
26	acushla	2986	shane deppe	bruce deppe	mbsc	DNF	DNC	DNC	68
26	shooting tsar	3517	dickie dee	liese scott	Midland	DNF	DNC	DNC	68
26	snakey b	3671	natt fuller	alan fuller	hampton sc	DNF	DNC	DNC	68
26	tirnanog	3445	Brendan O,Connell	Janet O,Connell	Midland	DNF	DNC	DNC	68
26	thin ice	3497	jan holland	richard craddock	midland	DNF	DNF	DNC	68
26	sir topaz	3530	mike colles	laura barrance	midland	DNF	DNC	DNC	68