Winners Of The Enterprise North West Top Helm Series
The Top Helm Trophy was donated by Eric Brown. Eric was one of the founder members of Pilkington SC, and was himself an open meeting winner on the NW circuit.
|
Year
|
Winner
|
Club
|
|
1966
|
Ron Spinks
|
Elton SC
|
|
1967
|
Gordon Thornley
|
Southport SC
|
|
1968
|
Ken Higson
|
Gresford Flash SC
|
|
1969
|
Mike Swift
|
Southport SC
|
|
1970
|
Gordon Thornley
|
Southport SC
|
|
1971
|
Alan Carter
|
Southport SC
|
|
1972
|
Mike Swift
|
Southport SC
|
|
1973
|
Tony Halliwell
|
West Lancashire YC
|
|
1974
|
Mike Taylor
|
Dovestones SC
|
|
1975
|
Nicky Whipp
|
Dovestones SC
|
|
1976
|
Max Francey
|
Southport SC
|
|
1977
|
Nicky Whipp
|
Dovestones SC
|
|
1978
|
Mike Taylor
|
Dovestones SC
|
|
1979
|
Ian Southworth
|
Southport SC
|
|
1980
|
Ian Southworth
|
Southport SC
|
|
1981
|
Ian Southworth
|
Southport SC
|
|
1982
|
Andy Clinch
|
Elton SC
|
|
1983
|
Andy Clinch
|
Elton SC
|
|
1984
|
Andy Mace
|
Southport SC
|
|
1985
|
Andy Clinch
|
Elton SC
|
|
1986
|
Graham Ellis
|
Gresford Flash SC
|
|
1987
|
Charles Adams
|
West Lancashire YC
|
|
1988
|
Andy Goddard
|
Fairfield Golf & SC
|
|
1989
|
???
|
|
|
1990
|
Peter Blundell
|
NW Nomads
|
|
1991
|
Malcolm Lunn
|
West Lancashire YC
|
|
1992
|
Philip Snewin
|
Chester S&CC
|
|
1993
|
Peter & Rachel Ford
|
Leigh and Lowton SC
|
|
1994
|
Peter & Rachel Ford
|
Leigh and Lowton SC
|
|
1995
|
Andrew & Martin Couch
|
Rudyard Lake SC
|
|
1996
|
Mike Birch
|
West Lancashire YC
|
|
1997
|
Philip Snewin
|
Chester S&CC
|
|
1998
|
Philip Snewin
|
Chester S&CC
|
|
1999
|
Philip Snewin
|
Chester S&CC
|
|
2000
|
Paul Plested
|
Winsford Flash SC
|
|
2001
|
Nick Miller
|
Winsford Flash SC
|
|
2002
|
Nick Miller
|
Winsford Flash SC
|
|
2003
|
Steve Blackburn
|
Pilkington SC
|
|
2004
|
Alan and Matt Johnson
|
South Caenarvonshire YC
|
|
2005
|
Alan and Matt Johnson
|
South Caenarvonshire YC
|
|
2006
|
Charles and Hannah Adams
|
West Lancashire YC
|
|
2007
|
Tony and Sam Woods
|
Etherow CPSC
|
|
2008
|
Tony and Sam Woods
|
Etherow CPSC
|
|
2009
|
Steve Blackburn and Royston Taggart / Nick Hampson
|
WLYC/Pilkington SC
|
|
1010
|
|
|
|
2011
|
|
|
|
2012
|
|
|
|
2013
|
|
|
|
2014
|
|
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NW Open Meetings - Archive photographs
West Lancashire YC
West Lancs YC Open Meeting 1962 - Harry Bowley (2856), Eric Brown (2568), both Pilkington SC with John and David Christian, Leigh SC, in 5691 (Photograph Eric Gill).
The Coddington Cup is now awarded for the Dawn Race in the 24 Hour Race. The last time it was raced for on the sea was in 1966 when Bill Rhodes and Tim Finch won the trophy. E5575, “Hotdog”, was the boat sailed by Jack Knights when he won the Nationals in 1961. The crews in 5575 and 8406 are Rex Snowling and David Brown (Photograph Liverpool Daily Post and Echo).
Southport SC
Southport November Plate in 1963 - The fleet moored on what is now the public slip (Photograph Eric Gill).
Southport SC November Plate 1963 - Boats passing through the line by Tommy Mann's hut on the town side of the lake. The Club was originally based there and operated out of a furniture removal van for open Meetings (Photograph Eric Gill).
A murky day in November 1968 for the SSC November Plate. Leading boat George Atkinson? followed by Mike Swift with possibly Bob Caton crewing finding something interesting in the bottom of the boat. In second picture Bill Rhodes in 10393. Photographs Richard Finch
Pilkington SC
Article and photograph from the St Helens Reporter on the Pilkington Enterprise Open Meeting held on 13 May 1962. Eric Brown 2568 won the event, from Ron Parkin 409, with Glyn Foulkes 2653 third and Jack Hardy 6007 fourth.
Placid conditions for the 1962 Open at Pilkington SC (Photograph St Helens Reporter).
|
Pilkington SC Open May 1962
Eric Brown 2568 wins event, from Ron Parkin 409, with Glyn Foulkes 2653 third and Jack Hardy 6007 fourth. St Helens Reporter 13 May 1962.
|
Leigh SC Open 1958
Jack Holt beats local sailor Harold Cragg to win Leigh Open – Motor Boat and Yachting, November 1958, page 539. Harold Cragg was for many years the owner of Leigh Dinghy Stores.
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|
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Start of race at Pilkington's open meeting in May 1968. 10194 Stuart Nixon, 11736 Gordon Thornley, 12766 Mike Swift, 10197 Peter Bailey, 8020 Eric Brown. Photographs Richard Finch
Chester
Team race v Pilkington in 1961-3 Jacky Gill (Finch) and Bill Bowley getting into 3113 (Photograph Eric Gill).
Chester Open meeting in 1968
Rudyard Lake SC
Rudyard Lake SC Enterprise Open Meeting in 1961 (Photograph Rudyard Lake SC).
Joint Enterprise firefly open meeting at Rudyard Lake in 1968. Photograph Richard Finch
Killington Sailing Association
Killington is a lake situated high in the hills near Kendal. Their first Enterprise Open Meeting was held on 30th of March 2005. Although early in the year Kendal was the hottest place in the country with a temperature in the the seventies!
Part of the 14 boat fleet wait for the OD to set the line at Killington's first Enterprise Open - Photograph Martin Metcalfe
Delph SC
Final race in Delph SC open meeting in 1971? Orange boat Mike Barradell-Smith, dark blue boat Tim Finch and Chris Wynne. Photographs Richard Finch
Llanduno NW Areas in 1968
Event won by Mike McNamara from 70 boat fleet.
NW Areas at Llandudno SC. Boats coming ashore after scorching hot but windless first race on Saturday afternoon. Photograph Richard Finch