RG65 MDCS 2022, Bournville RS&MBC results.

Every now and again things come together to create a special event. 15 very capable skippers with well sorted boats, wind in the right direction and strength, and a reasonable day, weatherwise.  The intention was to sail 16 or more races over a two lap, windward/leeward course with an upwind spreader mark and a downwind gate. Designs in use included Uno, Sith, Scurry and a lone Argon and Visionary. All were carbon or glass, having no 3D printed ones was a surprise.

Chris Elliot took the first heat, followed by Chris Cockayne in the second, John Brierly in 3&4, Peter Baldwin weighed in on 5, Augustin Moreno in 6 and so it went on. Putting the scores together at the 4 heat break points made for fascinating reading. The leading pack were swapping places with the overall lead changing at each heat. The quality of sailing ability was superb, rule observation was excellent, that was across the fleet and the event. A short break for lunch was taken and it was clear that it would be a struggle to get the 16 heats in the allotted time, after discussion with all the skippers, it was agreed to extend the finish time to 16 heats. If you look through the results, which I’m sure the skippers will, you can see it was a close-run thing between the top 3, Chris Elliot came out on top, taking also the new Midland District trophy, from the Birkenhead duo of Peter Baldwin and John Brierley. There were a couple of withdrawals when boats and skippers broke but all stayed on to watch the racing. It was that sort of an event, a pleasure to take part in, and to run. Race results here: RG65 TT

Bill Green, Race Officer.

Your editor was one of the skippers who withdrew early as he had walked over 7,500 steps at that stage and it was starting to tell. As if I had done about 1000 per race, by the end of race 16 I can tell there were some weary bodies. That saying we really enjoyed the close competition, and it was heard more than once that if you made a small error or was on the wrong side of a lift then you were out the back of the fleet such was the closeness of the racing at times.

Thanks to Bournville RS&MBC for hosting the first Midland District Champion Skipper event for the RG65, and congratulations go to Chris Elliot our 2022 champion, don’t forget you have to defend it again next year Chris.

Presentation and startline pictures by Bill Green and others by webmaster.