Alastair Brown sailed his ILCA 7/Laser to victory at the inaugural Grafham Belle in round 2 of the Selden SailJuice Winter Series.
Brown’s three wins from six races gave the Stokes Bay SC sailor overall victory after a tiebreak with reigning Series Champions, the 2000 team of Simon Horsfield and Katie Burridge from Thorney Island SC.
Just two points behind the leaders and taking third place overall was the Solo of Matthew Frary from Norfolk Broads YC, who had been overnight leader at the end of day 1.
Despite an unpromising weather forecast of little wind and wintery conditions in the week, competitors were treated to glorious conditions on both days, with winds gusting into double figures, albeit shifty under the passing clouds.
Other race winners included the faster boats such as Tom Gillard and Richard Pepperdine’s 505 winning the second race followed by Colin and Oly Murray’s Norfolk Punt which took victory in the third heat.
Grafham Belle Overall leading rankings (29 entries)
1st Laser Alastair BROWN Stokes Bay SC – – 14 pts
2nd 2000 Simon HORSFIELD and Katie BURRIDGE Thorney Island SC – – 14 pts
3rd Solo Matthew FRARY Norfolk Broads YC – – 16 pts
4th 505 Tom GILLARD and Richard PEPPERDINE Staunton Harold SC – – 18 pts
5th RS Vareo Nick CRICKMORE WOBYC – – 29 pts
6th RS Vareo Luke FISHER Emberton Park SC – – 39 pts
7th Solo Patrick OVERS Paxton Lakes SC – – 39.5 pts
8th Challenger Val MILLWARD Rutland SC – – 41.5 pts
9th 505 Penny CLARK and Russ CLARK Stokes Bay SC – – 43 pts
10th Norfolk Punt Colin MURRAY and Oly MURRAY Yorkshire Dales SC – – 43 pts
Category rankings (based on extracted results)
Fast Asymmetric
1st Norfolk Punt 94 Yorkshire Dales SC Colin MURRAY / Oly MURRAY
2nd RS500 1681 Grafham Water SC Peter CURTIS / James CURTIS
3rd RS400 971 Grafham Water SC Simon KITCHEN / Abbi HOOPER
Fast Symmetric
1st 505 9177 Staunton Harold Tom GILLARD / Richard PEPPERDINE
2nd 505 9196 SBSC Penny CLARK / Russ CLARK
3rd Fireball 14844 Port Dinorwic Kath BROATCH / Joy JAMES
Slow Asymmetric
1st 2000 22658 Thorney Island SC Simon HORSFIELD / Katie BURRIDGE
2nd RS Vareo 162 WOBYC / Nick CRICKMORE
3rd RS Vareo 407 Emberton Park SC Luke FISHER
Slow
1st Solo 5953 Norfolk Broads YC Matthew FRARY
2nd Laser 199007 Stokes Bay SC Alastair BROWN
3rd Solo 5904 Paxton Lakes SC Patrick OVERS
Lady
1st Challenger 312 Rutland SC Val MILLWARD
Craftinsure Family Rankings
505 9196 Penny and Russ Clark
Next event in the Selden SailJuice Winter Series is a long distance 26-miler, the Medway Marathon on Saturday 19 June.
Meanwhile in north Wales it’s an inland marathon for those competing in the popular Bala Long Distance, at Bala SC on 19 & 20 June.
