Northampton SC Open - April 31st - May 1st

Bright sunshine and light winds greeted musto skiff sailors on the Saturday for the Northampton Skiff Open event. When the racing got underway, it soon became apparent that there would be big gains and losses to be had from the large wind shifts and gusts, and this became commonplace.

The first to take best advantage of the conditions was Richard Stenhouse (Sten) who took line honours in the first race in front of Richard Smith and Graeme Oliver in third.

The second race produced more close racing within the fleet but this time it was Smith who came out on top with Oliver second and Rick Perkins in third.

Race three and final of the day saw Perkins add a first to his results, Oliver a second and Kit Stenhouse showing great boat speed in third.

This meant that after the first days sailing Smith was the overnight leader, but with four races to be sailed the following day, all was to play for. The skiff fleet then retired to various watering holes to assess and speculate over the day’s events.

The conditions Sunday where similar to that of the previous and the fourth race (first of the day) saw Sten making a bid for Ovingtonsy by winning, from Smith and Oliver.

In race five Smith and Perkins made good use of rounding the windward mark in a comfortable lead and used the gusts well to sail way clear of the rest of the fleet. Smith won, while Sten battled behind to take a third.

There was then a break for lunch and the results showed it was all still wide open for the last two races between four boats.

When race five started there was more wind, Dave Poston made best use of it and looked good for his first Ovingtonsy but Perkins was sailing well and managed to overhaul him at the finish. Mr Consistent Oliver clocked in another steady third place.

Race six and it was all for the taking, who would crack under the pressure, not Oliver he sailed well to record his first win of the weekend Sten followed in and Perkins Third.

With the racing so very close throughout the weekend it was not clear who was the winner until the result where issued. Ovingtonsy went to Rick Perkins with 14 points only beating Oliver in second on discard third was Smith on 15 points who beat Sten again only on discard.

The event produced some fantastic closely battled racing on the fresh waters of Northampton Sailing Club with the fleet all so close the racing can only get better through the season.

1st Rick Perkins Whitstable 14
2nd Graeme Oliver Whitstable 14
3rd Richard Smith Waverney & Oulton Broad 15
4th Richard Stenhouse Rutland 15
5th Dave Poston Datchet Water 33