Steve Nicholson Trophy 2005 - Northampton SC

Girl(s) on top

An excellent entry of 137 whose entry fees contribute to the National Asthma Campaign, turned up for the annual memorial trophy for local sailor Steve Nicholson. The Musto Skiff Class was well represented with Kit showing the boys how it's done.

Separate races are held for Asymmetric and Symmetric classes with alternating fleets on the water, allowing a good lunch break between the two races held.

Conditions were patch and shifty with winds between 0 to 10 knots, not ideal for the trapeze classes. With 33 asymmetrics on the short start line clear air was at a premium and once buried it was a challenge to break free of the fleet in the light conditions.

In the strongest winds of the day in race one Richard Stenhouse was superlative and making good use of the stronger puffs broke free of the fleet to win, hotly chased by Kit who finished 3rd with a well sailed vortex splitting the family. Tim Chapman and new youngster Will Crocker demonstrated the problems of not getting clear at the start with Tim 13th and Will 18th. It’s really good to see some new young blood coming in to the fleet, (and turning up to all the events), a very warm welcome Will.

After a good break for hot lunch whilst the symmetrics sailed their second race, the fleet returned to the start with dying winds. Pitsford can be very tricky in these conditions with shifty wind and big holes. With black flags on all starts accuracy was key and Richard found himself rafted between some reversing RS 400s. Kit made a good start banging left while Tim and Will when right. With a big bend halfway up the beat left paid but in trapeze free condition, and with a big hole surrounding the windward mark it was the RS400s that lead the way over the water. Kit sailed well in hopeless skiff conditions, to a respectable 9th but Richard’s start line problems put pay to his chance of overall Ovingtonsy with 14th. Will and Tim were left to have fun competing for class honour on the water with a friendly RS700. Over caution by Tim on the last tack for the line allowing the 700 to slip through for a half boat length on the line, with Will just behind, giving Will 25th and Tim 21st on handicap.

Overall RS400s took places 1 to 3 with an RS200 4th Kit’s good consistency delivered 5th three points and one place in front of the old man in 6th, (now whose been girlied?) Tim was 15th and Will 25th.

With excellent prizes provided by sponsors P & B, and a well-run event by Northampton SC, it was a good day’s sailing, as well as raising several thousand pounds for a very good cause. Congratulations and thanks to all those involved.

P.S. With Will Crocker and Ant Chapman, joining the class this year, plus other’s I’m sure, and with Jamie and Martin already established faces, we are now getting some of the young bloods coming into the class, which is very healthy. Martin and Jamie have already demonstrated what they can do and I am sure as the others get used to their new boats, some of the old men at the top of the fleet will be suffering their own teenage blues by the end of the season.

MPS Results

5th Kit Stenhouse
6th Richard Stenhouse
15th Tim Chapman
23rd Will Crocker

Read full event results >>>