MIDLAND AREA CHAMPIONSHIPS / NATIONAL CIRCUIT AT MIDDLE NENE SAILING CLUB.

This joint Midland / Eastern event the third in the Midland Area Double Chine Series sponsored by Speed Sails was held at Middle Nene SC over the weekend of 9^th/10^th April.

The twenty one boat fleet included seventeen visitors from thirteen different clubs from as far as Abersoch , Dabchicks, Southend, Chester, Ogston, Ely, Hunts, Frampton, Midland, Draycote, Northampton, Bartley and Sutton Sailing Clubs.

Saturdays conditions were excellent with warm sunshine and a moderate breeze blowing down the lake.

Race one saw three premature starters return to start correctly. Ges Brown and Julie Moore (Chester S&CC) sailing the new prototype epoxy Enterprise made a excellent start from the pin end of the line to lead at the windward mark from Paul Young and Iain Leiper (Midland SC) and Martin and Abigail Honner (Ogston SC). Later Phil and Sarah Kirk (Frampton SC) caught up and a great three way battle was had between Martin and Abigail, Paul and Iain and Phil and Sarah. At the finish Ges and Julie were first Phil and Sarah second, Martin and Abigail third and Paul and Iain fourth.

The second race started after lunch on a new course. This time Jon Woodward and Karen Jewkes (Bartley SC) led at the windward mark from Kevin Bilham and Jamie Cammon (Ely SC) with Alan and Matt Johnson (SCYC) third. Kevin and Jamie passed Jon and Karen to lead for a lap but as the breeze dropped a little Kevin and Jamie dropped several places allowing Alan and Matt to take a commanding lead. Later Steve Graham and Chris Blundell made the best the windshifts on the on the beat to secure second place but could not quite catch Alan and Matt. Phil and Sarah finished third and Ges and Julie fourth.

The third race was sailed on the same course; a keen start saw two boats over the line at the start.  Hot youth sailors Calum and Rory MacKenzie nailed the first beat to round the windward mark first chased by the pack. On the following laps Phil and Sarah made the most of the runs to take the lead only to be pushed all the way to the finish line by Alan and Matt with Steve and Chris third and Calum and Rory fourth.

Sunday dawned with a lighter and more variable wind. Following a general recall, Mike Cossey and Christine Barron (Sutton SC) sailing up the middle of the beat crossed the entire fleet which the majority of the fleet had gone left on.

However it was Alan and Matt who rounded the windward mark first followed by Steve and Chris and then Ges and Julie. Alan and Matt read the difficult conditions perfectly and built up a commanding lead which they held to the finish, second was Steve and Chris with Mike and Christine recovering to third. Local boat Jane and Nick Scutt (Middle Nene SC) were fourth.

Race five sailed back to back saw Alan and Matt starting at the pin end getting away nicely. Steve and Chris were over the line and had to return. Alan and Matt chose the left side of the course again and rounded the windward mark first closely followed by Jane and Nick, Kevin and Jamie, Martin and Abigail and Ges and Julie. Alan and Matt extended their lead again downwind. On the second beat Martin and Abigail went right and pulled up to second again followed by Jane and Nick, Ges and Julie and Kevin and Jamie. These positions were maintained to the short final beat were Ges and Julie took full advantage of a favourable windshift to pip Jane and Nick on the line with Kevin and Jamie fifth.