14 Merlin Rockets were welcomed at Bartley Sailing Club for the third round of the HD Sails Midland Circuit event. The forecasters had promised a day of sunshine and a light north easterly breeze but as opposed to the warm welcome from the club, it was fully dampened by a cold, grey, wet start to the day! Fortunately, the weather gods did deliver sunshine but not so much the breeze which can be best described as tricky.

Despite the difficult conditions Matt Biggs and Beka Jones treated us all to a masterclass in the art of sailing when the vital ingredient refuses to play ball, winning all 4 races. There was another impressive string of consistent results from James Wells and Anna Aylward with Rob Kennaugh and Andy Prosser keeping them honest, in fact all three of the podium crews had their moments during the day by leading the way. Further down the fleet there was a lot of place changes with numerous “hero to zero” issues but everybody finished the day with smiles but tired bodies.

Steve Ward and his team did a sterling job on a day when nobody would want to be a race officer running two races before lunch in Tilly’s Galley and two after and all off the water in good time for a beer and prize giving. The oldest boat prize went to 2734, a wooden classic sailed by Paul Atwell and Lindall Merry and Millie Hardiman sailing with her dad taking the Junior prize. Colin and Sean Anderson won the Silver Fleet and Nigel and Freya Hudson the Bronze fleet.

So, the next round of the HD Sails Midland circuit will be at Burton Sailing Club on Sunday 4^th June incorporating a class training day on Saturday 3^rd June.

Thank you Mark Reddington for the report.