Solo Northern Series sponsored by Winder Boats at Budworth Sailing Club

Downwind during the Solo Northern Series at Budworth © Richard Wynne

The centre of Storm Amy had tracked to the north of the country leaving a very gusty 20 to 35kt north-westerly forecast for Budworth. As visitors arrived and rigged boats, the conditions were pretty wild with steady 30+kts on the far side of the mere.

This was the last open meeting of the Solo Northern Area and series decider with Steve Denison and Martin Honnor both able to win. Also a chance for sailors to add a 4th open meeting to qualify for a series prize.

Despite the forecast, 11 visitors travelled from across the region and as far as Salcombe. They were joined by 7 Budworth home boats with many of the other Budworth sailors deciding the conditions were too strong. The 18 boats rigged ready for the very experienced PRO team, John Chapman and Wendy Martin, to decide whether to race.

There was plenty of friendly chat at the front of the club house drinking tea and coffee with no-one changed into sailing gear when the PRO announced racing is ON. Race 1 would be a short and simple course to the north of the lake avoiding the areas of strongest wind.

Most visitors chose to launch on the new, wide concrete slipway area which worked perfectly having just been completed.

Race start during the Solo Northern Series at Budworth - photo © Richard Wynne

The race area may have been more protected by the trees but the squalls and windshifts were violent, testing everyone. Early on the first beat local sailors Philip Barnes and Ted Garner were hit by the same severe gust and performed a synchronised capsize just a couple of boat lengths apart. Steve Denison, Martin Honnor and Nick Hornsby led the fleet on the first reach to the gybe mark in the middle of the lake where there was plenty of room for drama!

While Denison and Honnor were battling their own match race, Nick Hornsby took the lead with Roger Guess pushing in 4th. At the end of this short, challenging race it was Denison from Hornsby, Honnor and Guess in 4th.

Lunch was served and the wind dropped to around 20kts. Was Honnor now in trouble with Denison securing a two point lead, and could this have cost the series? The PRO set a full course covering the whole lake, this time with two long beats and TWO gybe marks both close to the shore and one just in front of the club. This provided a perfect position for Innes Armstrong and others to stand with cameras to capture the thrills and spills of the day! Race 2 was definitely good for spectator sport being far more exciting to watch than the Sail GP in Cadiz.

Just before we launched the wind returned to a steady 30+kts on the far side of the lake and similar violent shifts and squalls near the trees. Honnor, Barnes, Denison and Andy Carter led the charge with Stuart and Ian Norris all in a line approaching the leeward mark. Honnor pushed Denison into another match race which helped those behind. At the windward mark it was Barnes leading from Denison, Andy Carter and Honnor down to the first gybe at C, across the mere to the second gybe at H. Meanwhile Denison was hit by a huge gust on the run, nosedived and catapulted Denison from his ship. Barnes's Garmin stats recorded a top speed of 15kts and extended to a decent lead being chased by Honnor only to capsize at the penultimate mark allowing Honnor through to take the lead. Barnes managed to recover quickly and hold 2nd from Andy Carter in 3rd and Denison in 4th. Honnor was back in the game for the series now with a 1 point advantage over Denison.

Rather than stay out on the water for back-to-back races, the PRO sent us ashore to allow time to get the capsized boats safely recovered. Probably also to allow the PRO and rescue teams to dry out after a very busy race for them. A welcome decision and chance for a hot drink and piece of cake.

Going into the third race with slightly eased wind to around 20-25Kts, this was to be a shoot out between Denison and Honnor. The start was biased to the pin and in the last minute a further left shift made it almost impossible to cross the line on starboard. A cunning Denison was in position to go for a port end flyer. And he pulled it off with perfection leaving chaos in his wake as boats failed to make the pin. It was the same course as race 2 with the left shift improving the angle of the legs with more consistent wind blasting straight down the mere.

As the fleet recovered from the start, this was another challenge to keep going and keep the mast pointing at the sky to get a decent result. Numerous capsizes later across the fleet, it was Denison who sailed a perfect race taking the win, and the series, with a substantial lead from Barnes, Carter and Will Rice-Birchall in 4th.

At the prize-giving, prizes from the recent Leigh and Lowton Open were awarded, prizes for the Budworth Open and also prizes for the overall Northern Traveller series.

Overall Results:

Overall Series Results:

1st Steve Denison
2nd Martin Honnor
3rd Innes Armstrong

Solo Northern Series at Budworth - Northern Series Qualifiers and Winners - photo © Georgina Denison

Innes Armstrong and Nick Hornsby presented the series qualifier prizes for the 13 qualifiers and I chose the very appropriate prize of a new burgee. Budworth won the team prize for the best 3 boats qualifying for the series.

Steve Denison generously donated the Winder lightboard prize to newcomer Cameron Norris from Shropshire who finished all 3 races with plenty of swimming. He also thanked the excellent Budworth team for hosting an exciting day's racing and series finale.

We were very lucky to race with events up and down the country being cancelled due to extreme winds. Special thank you to Solo fleet captain Richard Wynne who organised the day. Also the rescue team who were certainly kept busy with at one point 2/3rd of the fleet capsized. Chris Allen, James Prestwich, Jo Howell, Jackie Purvis and John Ward. Speaking with James, he says he thinks he saw every possible way you can capsize a Solo being demonstrated.