CLUBS & CLASSES

Returning Howarth claims Fireball inland title with Townend

Dave Hall and Paul Constable took two bullets on the opening day of the Fireball Gul Inlands at Draycote Water SC. However, after the moderate breezes of day one, a shifty and patchy 5-8 knot southwesterly then provided very different conditions for a game of snakes and ladders.

Hall/Constable landed on the longest snake to get buried in the pack without a suitable ladder to get out of trouble, resulting in a 13th they had to count after then getting a BFD.

Chips Howarth, meanwhile, making a cameo appearance after a four-year sabbatical from sailing, with his erstwhile crew Vyv Townend, claimed a 1,2.

Isaac Marsh/Oliver Davenport won race four and Dave Wade/Rich Pepperdine race five.

The final race and reckoning then saw Howarth/Townend doing enough to claim the inland title, with Wade/Pepperdine coming second. Meanwhile, Hall/Constable rediscovered their mojo to claim the last race winners’ gun, but had to settle for third overall.

North West Senior Travellers

The final event of the North West Senior Travellers for over 50s took place at Bolton SC, with Solo sailor Richard Catchpole (Leigh and Lowton) winning the series overall for the second consecutive year. Catchpole was remarkably consistent no matter what the wind strength, only twice being out of the top three in any race.

Sixty-three boats from 16 clubs took part in one or more of the seven events and the runner-up was Dave Woodhead (Elton) in another Solo, followed by two Supernovas from Bolton, sailed by Andy Flitcroft and Mark Platt. In fifth and the first double hander was a Miracle, sailed by Dave Southwell and Michelle Raines (Leigh and Lowton).

Top club was Leigh and Lowton, following a tie-break with Bolton. The ancient mariner award went to Richard Hemingway (Etherow).

20th anniversary 2000 inlands

The final event in the 20th anniversary year of the 2000 class was the Noble Marine Inland Championship, with a 30-strong fleet competing at Weir Wood SC.

With a pre-racing coaching session and a mixed forecast, the inland venue provided a competitive affair with typical shifty inland wind conditions.

There was a building breeze with patches of gusty wind over three races on day one, leaving the top 10 places separated by just six points overnight.

Another three races on day two then saw more close competition, with leeward gate congestion and mini battles across the fleet.

Rob and Sarah Burridge took the title, while newcomer to