Enterprise Open Meeting at Midland Sailing Club – 18th June 2023

This event the third in the 2023 Enterprise Midland area Double Chine series was held at Midland Sailing Club on Sunday 18^th June 2023.

The conditions were warm and cloudy  with a tricky light South Easterly breeze which was variable in both strength and direction.

Race one saw both Jonathan Woodward  crewed by Lauren Morgan, and Paul Young crewed by Jan Kimber starting at less favoured Committee boat end of the line in stronger wind with Martin Davies  crewed by Rebecca Bradley  and Oliver Mason crewed by Laura Cope  starting at the favoured end in less wind.

Paul and Jan soon took the lead up the beat to round the windward mark in the lead with Jonathan and Lauren second and Martin and Rebecca third.

Paul and Jan  continued to lead for the first lap until Jonathan and Lauren passed to leeward of them by going deeper on  the reach on the second lap.

Jonathan and Lauren continued to lead despite Paul and Jan getting a favourable lift on the third lap to close them down and extended there lead to win easily. In an exciting finish , Martin and Rebecca  took full advantage of a very favourable wind shift  to snatch second place on the finish line from Paul and Jan who finished third.

After a baked potato lunch,  the second race started after a slight delay on a new course.

Martin and Rebecca led at the first windward mark from Jonathan and Lauren and Paul and Jan , with all five boats very close together.  Martin and Lauren  just held the lead for most of the race with Paul and Jan and Jonathan battling for second  and Oliver Mason crewed by Laura Cope and David Wheeler  crewed by Adam Sherwood close behind battling for fourth. On the last leg to the finish Paul and Jan  manged  to pass Martin and Rebecca to windward  to snatch  the win. Jonathan and Lauren finished third.

With the top three boats all now having four points the third and final race was sailed back-to-back. This race on another new course started in the lull before the storm when the wind went extremely light and variable.   After a very tight beat ,  Martin and Rebecca  led around the first windward mark  with Jonathan and Lauren close behind, and Paul and Jan third. On the top reach towards the clubhouse the wind died completely and with a threatening sky, Jonathan and Lauren found the draw of the clubhouse irresistible and retired.

As the fleet crawled down the next leg at snails’ pace over the next quarter of an hour, and with the sound of thunder rolling around in the distance the race officer wisely brought the finish line to us at the end of this third leg. Martin and Rebecca  won this race to win the meeting, several minutes ahead of Paul and Jan in second, with Oliver and Laura not far behind.

After paddling the back to shore , the wind picked up again with everyone rushing to pack their boats away before the heavens opened.

Overall results

Yachts and Yachting write up