TNT Series roundup
By admin. Filed in News |
Flying Fifteen TNT Post Northern Travellers Series Final roundup
2009 was the third year of the TNT post north sponsored Travellers Series. This comprised five events at Northampton, Bala, Burton, Notts County and Dovestone and is targeted at encouraging club sailors from these and other clubs to sample open meeting sailing and enjoy visiting other clubs. The top 15 crews in the National rankings are excluded from results to give everyone a chance. The results are compiled with separate rankings for the open fleet “modern”, silver fleet and classic fleet for boats under sail number 2700.
This season 54 boats took part in the five events, there were 11 qualifiers and sailors from a total of 13 clubs were represented. The series has proved a considerable success and it is noticeable that during the three years it has run attendance at the Travellers Series events has increased. This year Northampton sailing club held their first open meeting for some years and this was well attended. Each of the other events had strong attendances up from previous years. The number of qualifiers was also up.
The final event at Dovestone sailing club on the 3 and 4 October proved to be an excellent climax to the series. Saturday produced ferocious wind ranging from 30 knots to well over 50 knots, prudence prevailed and sailing was suspended for the day. Competitors undertook a variety of activities including walks around the picturesque lake and in the surrounding Peak National Park, whilst others attended a premier league football match. The Saturday evening social event included a superb three-course meal provided by members of the club and culminated in the 4th World Ice Cube Curling Championships, that, after a close run battle was won by the Flying Fifteen Silver Fleet who saw off a team of Scorpion Sailors in the final.
Sunday dawned with clear skies and sunshine and no wind looking as though both days of sailing might be lost, one with too much wind and the other with too little. In the end the wind filled in time for three races to be sailed in a fluky force 2. This produced good racing for the 21 boat entry and the result of the meeting was undecided until the last race. First place went to David McKee and Chris Hewkin and second place to Andy Goddard and Mal Hartland, both boats from the open fleet. Showing the strength of the silver fleet Les Mayrick and Lucy Clough produced an outstanding performance to come third overall and Colin Pierce and Mandy Thackray finished fourth overall. The Classic section was won by Dave Naylor and Norman Christie.
The prizes for the open meeting were sponsored by Speed Sails.
The overall results for the Travellers Series therefore produced a close finish. In the open fleet the event could have been won by either Andy Goddard/Mal Hartland or Chris Swallow/Matt Pallett. In the end a strong performance by the Goddard/Hartland crew saw them take the Open Travellers Series.
The winner of the silver section was also undecided coming into the final event. The teams of Scott Train/Graham Lamond and Colin Pierce/Mandy Thackray were close on points and the outcome would be decided at Dovestone. In the event an outstanding performance from the local crew of Les Mayrick and Lucy Clough resulted in overall victory for the Travellers Series by Scott Train and Graham Lamond.
In the classic section the event had already been decided the previous week at Notts County with winners of the series Ian and Gavin Shaw.
Thanks are extended to all competitors for attendance this year and helping to make it a successful and enjoyable Travellers Series. The good news is that TNT post north have agreed to sponsor the series again in 2010. It is expected that the programme and format will be similar to this year however details will be provided before the end of the year.
A final thank you to Chris Swallow for compiling the results and acting as publicity officer for the series and to Andy Goddard (TNT post north) for their support for the series which continues to move from strength to strength.
Series Winners were:
1st Andy Goddard / Mal Hartland – Dovestone Sailing Club
2nd Chris Swallow / Matt Pallett – Burton Sailing Club
3rd Richard Hope / Scott Smith – Draycote Water Sailing Club
Silver – Scott Train / Graham Lamond – Thornton Stewart Sailing Club
Classic – Ian and Gavin Shaw – RYA / Wimbledon Park Sailing Club