Stewartby Winter Handicap Sunday 9 November 2002

On Sunday 9 November 19 Dart 15s took part in the first event of the Dart 15 winter traveller series at Stewartby. Principal Race Officer, Neville Solerburg, set a trapezoidal course in a force 2 SE breeze which was straight along the lake making for a good long beat and run. Steve Sawford went straight into an early lead from Peter Richardson, Frank Sandells and Paul Smith. Smith, unfortunately hit the windward mark and had to do turns and Sandells also failed to round the windward mark cleanly. Thus on the first reach it was Sawford from Richardson, Mark Aldridge, Philip Howden and Bob Carter. After the first lap only the first few boats cleared the line before the start of the Club boats, which made for some interesting maneuvers for the port tack reaching Dart 15s as they intersected the starboard tack club starters on the same line. The second (reaching) mark drifted downwind and took no further part in the race, which sadly took out the reach and made the run a broad reach. Sawford and Richardson opened up a big lead for most of the race, hotly pursued by Carter and Howden. On the final lap Carter displaced Richardson for second place and Smith came back for fourth ahead of Howden, but Sawford took the gun after leading the entire race.

The second race took part in less wind after lunch. Gurnard ace, Steve Cole, really got the bit between his teeth and was first to the windward mark ahead of Peter Richardson and Barrie Hoggard. Erling Holmberg, also from the Isle of Wight, made big gains on the first run to take second place. On the second beat Steve Sawford and Mark Aldridge clawed back many places by taking the centre lake (left) side, thus the sequence was Cole, Holmberg, Hoggard, Sawford and Aldridge at the second windward mark rounding. The wind headed the fleet on the second reach to mark 2 and only the 3 leading boats completed this leg without putting in a tack, so their lead was further extended. Several laps later, at the finish the sequence was Cole, Holmberg, Sawford, Carter and Hoggard, thus the IoW contingent took the first two places (a fact that Erling did not fail to mention several times after the racing in the bar!).

Thus the Dart 15s kicked off the winter series in style with an excellent attendance from as far a field as Doncaster (4), Isle of Wight (2), Angmering - near Worthing, (2), Grafham (6), Thirslet (1) and 4 locals. Steve Sawfoid was the clear winner from Bob Carter and Erling Holmberg.

The next event in the winter TT Series is at Beaver on 6 December.

1st Sprinter: Robin Hall (Stewartby)

For the full results click here.