The Marblehead radio sailing members visited Chipstead SC for the first GAMES event on the 20th January 2018. There were twenty entries, but due to flu, sixteen came to the start line.  Marblehead skippers from ten clubs were made very welcome indeed to the first M&S interclub event of the season. Peter Crisp even greeted everyone individually as they arrived at the entrance to the car park.

Although it was a cold damp drizzly day, Chipstead Lake provided a long course with light consistent north easterly winds.   This gave some excellent conditions for racing throughout the day, with enough variation in direction to make the beats interesting.

Image by John Caruana

Race officer, Dave Allinson and his team handled the racing very well and was able to run 11 races consisting of two laps of a 150 metre windward beat course that was close to the control area along its whole length. The wide start line helped to prevent incidents and there was only one general recall.

Throughout the day the racing was very close with five different race winners, culminating in only 3 points between the first three overall and only 15 points difference covering the middle of the fleet.  A win in the first race by Roger Stollery using his new UP design was followed by wins for Peter Stollery sailing an UPROAR, Tony Edwards, Colin Goodman sailing GRUNGEs  and Hugh McAdoo sailing a PRIME NUMBER. The lunch break was welcomed, giving an opportunity to get warm and enjoy sausages, chip and beans and a hot drink, laid on especially by the Chipstead SC Radio Sailing members.

Image by John Caruana

Assistant race officer, Garven McKie, kept the racing going with back to back races.   The afternoon period produced similar results, but no one skipper managed to dominate.

Overall it was an enjoyable and good natured day’s racing for all those who attended. Special thanks were given by the prize-winners to Dave Allinson , who managed the racing well and organised a team from Chipstead SC Radio Sailing for scoring, observing, catering etc. as well as making a good photographic record of the event.

There is no doubt that this radio sailing club has fantastic facilities, very well suited to running big events with a large lake with good access on the banks and the clubhouse and excellent launching facilities right in the centre of the activity.

After the prize giving for this event, Roger Stollery presented the Midgley Mug for the overall winner of the 2017 GAMES series to Peter Stollery.

Image by John Caruana

Report by Peter Crisp

Results for the Chipstead SC Marblehead GAMES 1 Event 2018:

1st  Peter Stollery Guildford UPROAR 19,

2nd Tony Edwards Yeovil GRUNGE 21,

3rd Colin Goodman Coal House Fort GRUNGE 22,

4th Hugh MCAdoo  Datchet Water PRIME NUMBER 38,

5th Roger Stollery Guildford UP 52,

6th Martin Crysell Guildford PRIME NUMBER 58

7th Trevor Binks Eastbourne PRIME NUMBER 64

8th Phil Holliday Datchet Water NIOUTRAM 70

9th John Shorrock Datchet Water QUARK 73

10th Nick Ennion Harwich & Dovercourt QUARK 84

11th Peter Crisp Chipstead STARKERS CUBED 84

12th John Cleave Ryde SKALPEL 86

13th Alan Viney Guildford PRIME NUMBER 89

14th Peter Popham Three Rivers CREAM CRACKER 109

15th Terry Rensch Datchet Water QUARK 111

16th Alf Reynolds Chelmsford PARADOX 148