Photo by Oliver Bangham

A mirror calm greeted 11 competitors from five clubs for some frustrating racing when the variable light breeze eventually filled in from the south, blowing diagonally over the trees and the competitors’ left shoulders. The 3 Rivers’ extensive race team did a grand job in running 10 races around a windward leeward course.

In the very first race virtually the whole fleet were approaching the gate together and race officer, John Shepherd  mustered all the observers at the potential incident, but as Marbleheads are considered to be sailed by gentlemen, they talked to each other and there were no collisions.

David Adam, sailing a PRIME NUMBER won this race from John Carter, sailing a STARKERS and Martin Crysell also sailing a PRIME NUMBER. The lead changed several times during the race and this was to set the scene for the day’s racing with isolated puffs letting some of the backmarkers get to the front.

The next two races belonged to Roger Stollery and his new UP design followed in Races 3 & 4 by Rob Vice, sailing an UPROAR taking the top podium finish.

After lunch, new recruit to Marblehead racing, Norwegian Odd Nordanger, sailing a STARKERS won Race 6, but then let Roger and David win again in Races 7 & 8. Unlike all the other competitors, Odd travels with his boat by train from the other side of London.

Photo by Oliver Bangham

In Race 9 there was a very close finish between Roger and Alf Reynolds, who had been struggling with radio problems at the beginning of the event. He was sailing one of the earliest PARADOXs with a much modified bow and distinctive camouflage paintwork. He was absolutely delighted! It shows that designs from the early 1990s are still competitive against the very latest machines. The final race was won by Rob with Roger second and Peter Popham sailing a CREAM CRACKER in third place.

Photo by Martin Crysell

It was encouraging to see Max Lembke’s new Marblehead, which he designed and made himself from readily available carbon sheet to form a multi-chine hull. There were some teething problems which didn’t allow the MAXLEM design to show its full potential.

The prize winners thanked the 3 Rivers race team for running a good event despite the frustrating conditions. The latest GAMES results can be found on the www.guildfordmyc.co.uk website, with further information about Marblehead events on www.marbleheadsailing.wordpress.com.

Results:

1st Roger Stollery Guildford UP 14

2nd Rob Vice Guildford UPROAR 27

3rd David Adam 3 Rivers PRIME NUMBER 28

4th Martin Crysell Guildford PRIME NUMBER 33

5th John Shorrock Datchet QUARK 35.5

6th John Carter 3 Rivers STARKERS 36

7th Alf Reynolds Chelmsford PARADOX 47

8th Dick Grainge 3 Rivers STARKERS 52

9th Odd Nordanger 3 Rivers STARKERS 57.5

10th Peter Popham 3 Rivers CREAM CRACKER 58

11th Max Lembke 3 Rivers MAXLEM 74

The Marblehead radio sailing members visited Chipstead SC for the first GAMES event on the 20^th 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

Chipstead S/C Radio Sailing invite entries to their Marblehead Open meeting and Games 1 on Saturday 20th January 2018. First Race at 10.00am. Full details in the NOR Marblehead Open – Games 1 2018.