Notts County Sailing Club Charity Race

First race slow handicap start at Notts County Charity race © David Eberlin

Notts County Charity race May bank holiday start © David Eberlin

Notts County Sailing Club replaced its regatta with a charity race on bank holiday Monday in some light and variable winds. Covid meant planning was to difficult and so we ran our usual summer weekend sailing and added on the annual Charity Event to keep us all active on Monday. Plenty of members were enjoying the lake and the surrounds with numerous family camping parties taking place, the club was buzzing.

Around 25 boats and boards took part in Monday's racing; a morning handicap race with windsurfing, Fast and Slow starts and an afternoon 75 minute Pursuit race with individual start times carefully worked out based on a crafty combination of the standard (PY) handicaps and the results from the morning's race. The warm calm day presented light and variable puffs of breeze around the lake to begin with, firming up to a very pleasant force 2 to 3 by the afternoon. The race and safety teams who had happily volunteered to support the event weren't troubled excessively, apart from avoiding sunburn and the glorious sight of the 29er gracefully tripping over itself during a low speed gybe at the leeward mark.

The results are below well done to new member, but experienced sailor, Chris in his Solo who quickly took the lead in the pursuit race and couldn't be caught, and also to Isis sailing an Aero 9 who sailed really well (too well considering what was coming next) in the handicap race to take a commanding 1st. Of course that meant her personal handicap was harsh, + 12 minutes to the first boat, for the pursuit, but she did enough to get up to 6th place in that race to take the overall 1st place, just ahead of John in his Solo and Martin in another Aero 9. The Junior win went to Chloe in her Topper with two credible positions against the big boats.

Starting the pursuit in the afternoon at Notts County Charity race - photo © David Eberlin

Fun was had by all and the generosity shown by the entrants, as well as some who just gave without sailing, was wonderful. The nominated charity was Nottinghamshire Palliative Care and the generous £245 raised on the day was donated to Beaumond House Hospice, Newark.

Thank you to all the competitors, supporters and volunteers (and of course Pauline and Keith in the Galley) who helped to make a bank holiday Monday quite a special one.

Overall Results: