Travellers Series 2008
By admin. Filed in Race reports |
The 2008 TNT Post North series reached its climax at Draycote Water Sailing Club on the 18th and 19th October. The series commenced in April and included eight events geographically, ranging from Bassenthwaite at the north of the Lake District to Draycote Water in Warwickshire. The series has been sponsored since its inception by TNT Post North. In total 101 boats competed this year representing 31 clubs.
The Series is targeted at club sailors and occasional open meeting sailors with a view to encouraging sailing and more activity at the smaller Flying Fifteen fleets/clubs. It is also intended that the Series will encourage more travel and enjoy open meeting sailing. The top fifteen boats in the National qualifying series are therefore excluded from these results.
Coming into the final event the Series results stood in the balance with all to play for. The winner at Draycote, local sailor Jeremy Davey, was impressed by the fleet size of twenty-four boats which was all the more impressive for the fact that twenty of the top open fleet Travellers were preparing their boats for shipping to Australia for the Worlds in January and could not take part.
The conditions were bright with a stiff breeze on Saturday increasing through to a good force-five by the end of Sunday sailing. The competitors enjoyed the traditional Olympic style triangle/sausages and the weekend provided competitive and enjoyable sailing for all.
Thanks go to the eight clubs and their fleet captains for their efforts in ensuring a successful series and in particular to Chris Swallow of Burton Sailing Club, who undertook the majority of the work producing results and reports and who also managed to compete in all eight events.
Thanks go particularly to the sponsors of the event “TNT Post North” and to their representative, Andy Goddard, who managed to come third overall in the Series even though he was only able to take part in three events.
The Open Series was won by the host club’s Richard Hope and Scott Smith for the second year in a row, throwing down the gauntlet for his hat-trick in 2009.
The programme for 2009 is in the process of preparation. This is likely to include Opens at Northampton, Bala, Burton, Notts County and Dovestone. More details will follow.