Contender Travellers Series at Weston Sailing Club

Contenders at Weston © Dougal Henshall

Weston Sailing Club were the hosts for the latest round of the Contender Travellers Series over the weekend of 3rd/4th August. A forecast of warm conditions and a reasonable breeze had encouraged 19 keen competitors to enter for the weekend with many competitors arriving early on the Friday to make use of the overnight camping.

With National Champion Graeme Wilcox again not able to make it due to Americas Cup commitments, some may question his priorities, the event was wide open for someone else to secure a victory.

To enable the fleet to warm up the race officer set a short two laps for race 1 and the fleet were soon to learn that the wind is far from stable in direction and strength at Weston especially when a large container ship is exiting down the channel. With many place changes Gary Langdown established a lead up the second beat only to be overhauled by Stuart Jones on the short hitch to the finish when he sailed into a hole, third was James Spikesley.

The race officer added a lap to the course for Races 2 and 3 as the wind increased a little. With the wind still unstable in direction and speed it was a surprise to a number of the fleet when both of these races were won by Simon Mussell, showing good speed and unusually good tactics for him, to hold off Tom Hooton and Ed Presley respectively.

The fleet were treated by the arrival of some Contender legends as Keith & Pat Paul and Ron & Maisie Duffield made a brief appearance before the fleet settled down for a takeaway curry and a few beers, Simon Mussell was the overnight leader followed by an always there Stuart Jones.

Contenders at Weston - photo © Dougal Henshall

Sunday's racing was delayed for a short while with half of the fleet launched and the other half staying ashore, to enable the wind to fill in and the first race of the day started with the fleet sat on the side tanks, the wind gradually increased throughout the race and the day to flat out trapezing by the end of the day, but still variable in direction.

Race 4 was won by Stuart Jones followed by Tom Hooton and Simon Mussell, with race 5 won by Tom Hooton with James Spikesley and Ed Presley in second and third. Race 6 was sailed in the best breeze of the weekend and was won by Gary Langdown followed by Stuart and James, so the fleet came ashore not really knowing who had won.

After the scores were tallied up and the discard applied the overall results were Stuart Jones first, Tom Hooton second and Simon Mussell third.

Thanks go to Weston Sailing Club, Nick Curry and the team of volunteers who organised a very enjoyable weekend. It is now on to Italy and Switzerland for a number of the fleet attending the European championship at the end of August, with the next UK event to be held at Castle Cove Sailing Club on the 14th & 15th September.

With just two more UK events for the Contender fleet this year, plans are already coming together for a bumper 2025 with the World Championships held in Florida at the start of the year with a good fleet of UK boats already booked up and the UK Nationals to be held at Shoreham Sailing club in September 2025 keep an eye out on the British Contender website www.sailcontender.org.uk for updates and information later in the year.

Overall Results:

Contenders at Weston - photo © Dougal Henshall