News Area
Enterprise North West Top Helm Award Summary
 18 November, 2009Sponsored by www.speedsails.co.uk Our first Open Meeting with 18 Ents set sail at Toddbrook with a great breeze and dropping off as the day went on. Tony Woods & Charlie Berry (Etherow) hit fine form and wining the event. Steve Blackburn & Nick Hampson (WLYC/Pilkington) came in 2nd Ed Pilling & Dave Boustead (Arnside) came in a very credible 3rd. As usual the food the people organization from Toddbrook were fantastic. We also had a great Enterprise training day before, held by Mike Birch. Great photos on their website too. www.toddbrooksailingclub.org.uk Round 2 were at Winsford Flash SC, Ultra light breeze, and 16 Boats endured the fluky conditions. Again Tony Woods & Charlie Berry (Etherow) came up trumps winning his 2nd Open of the year. Richard Critchley & Helen Conolly (Pilkington) came 2nd also proving an excellent light wind specialist. Royston Taggart & Diane Roberts (Pilkington) came in 3rd. A big thank you for Winsford’s hospitality. Round 3 Pilkington SC Open, windy blustery rainy and very testing. 9 Competitors took part. Royston Taggart & Diane Roberts (Pilkington) took their win very narrowly from Alan Roberts & Rob Lea (Pilkington) current Enterprise Under 18 National Champions at time of the Open. Mark Dingsdale & Clare Gerrard / Steve Blackburn (Pilkington) came in 3rd. Plenty of capsizing on an infamous gybe buoy for all the spectators to watch. Excellent photos on Pilkington SC website. www.pilkingtonsailingclub.co.uk Round 4 Rudyard Lake SC, our highest turn out 23 Ents. This event was a joint Open with the Enterprise Double Chine Series also sponsored by Speed Sails. Dave and Beth Porter (WLYC) beat stiff competition to win. Jonathon Woodward & Alex Halliwell (Redditch/WLYC) came in 2nd with Steve Blackburn & Rob Lea (WLYC/Pilkington) came in 3rd. This event was very testing for all competitors the wind settled down as the day went on. Great and friendly club from Rudyard Lake. http://www.rudyardlakesc.org.uk/ Round 5 WLYC Open on the sea at Ainsdale only 10 boats though, wall to wall sunshine, 2 to 3 force wind and plenty of chop and great racing was had. Steve Blackburn & Royston Taggart (WLYC/Pilkington) had two bullets and winning the event in style. Charlie Adams & Oliver Hilliker (WLYC) came in 2nd. Jonathon Woodward & Alex Halliwell (Redditch/WLYC) came in third. Our current National Champion at the time of the Open Tim & Hannah Sadler (Ripon) came in 4th, again a very high standard of sailing from all sailors. http://www.wlyc.org.uk/ Round 6 was at Bassenthwaite SC Start of the Regatta week, which is enjoyed by many. 22 Enterprise took part. Excellent wind force 4 – 5 on the Saturday and on Sunday the wind had dropped a little and swung a little too. Steve Blackburn & Nick Hampson (WLYC / Pilkington) won the coveted event Eddie pilling and Dave Boustead (Arnside) came in second. Local sailor Mark Ninnim and Rob Smith (Bass) came in 3rd Mike Cossey & Christine Barron (Tamworth) won one race and Finished 4th overall. http://www.bassenthwaite-sc.org.uk/ Round 7 was our Enterprise Northwest Areas at Wigan SC. 14 boats raced through the Weekend in Warm, Windy Wet and Sunny Conditions. It was the first time we had held an event at Wigan SC for a long time. The wind was a shifty 4 –5 force. Steve Blackburn crewed by Royston Taggart (WLYC / Pilkington) racked up their 3rd Win of the Series with Pete Lawson and Gareth Balfour (Killington / Bass) in 2nd Paul & George Graham sailed excellently to finish 3rd overall. The event was superbly organized, with great food and organization. http://www.wigansailingclub.org.uk/ Round 8 was at Killington, again the wind was strong building up through out the event. 14 Ents at Killington SA. We were met with great hospitality and bacon butties. Alan & Matt Johnson (SCYC) won the event. Pete Lawson & Gareth Balfour (Killington) came in 2nd and Eddie Pilling and Dave Boustead (Arnside) came 3rd. The event was enjoyed by all with long beats runs and great planning reaches. http://www.k-s-a.info/ Round 9 bright sunshine and a strong, but a not impossible, blustery SW wind greeted 10 competitors who had defied the extreme weather forecast to attend Chester’s Enterprise Open Meeting. It wasn’t the basic wind strength that caused problems, but the unpredictable and violent gusts sweeping across The Meadows. Lewis Kneale &Alex Dromgoole (Chester) won their first Open Meeting and both juniors definitely a big achievement. 2nd was Wally & Lesley Riley (Chester) and Alison Payne and Kev Law came in 3rd. http://www.chestersailingclub.com/ Round 10, 12 boats arrived at Etherow CPSC we were welcomed with a glass of sherry, bacon butties and Etherow’s legendary friendliness. The weather was very warm and a good wind was blowing from every angle. The sun even ventured out through out the day on the smallest lake on the North West Top Helm Circuit. Tony woods & Charlie Berry (Etherow) won the event for the 3rd time. Steve & Diane Blackburn (WLYC / Pilkington) came in 2nd with Karen Morris & Lisa Woods came in 3rd (Etherow) http://www.ecpsc.org.uk/ Round 11 as many arrived at the prestigious November plate at Marine Lake the weather was rainy and blustery wind from the north east moving to south as day went on. Competitors ate plenty of Bacon Butties for extra energy as we all prepared for the last North West Top Helm Series Sponsored by Speed Sails. http://www.southportsailingclub.org.uk/NewWebsite/Main/MainFrameset.htm Many rigged their boats under extreme conditions. As we arrived to the start the wind was gusting a force 6. Steve Blackburn & Nick Hampson (Pilkington / WLYC) created 1st place after the start as the Jonathon Woodward and Alex Halliwell (Redditch / WLYC) came through to hold Second with Tim Finch and Mark Dingsdale (Chester / Pilkington) in third. The gusty wind was causing problems even capsizes at the start. By lap 2 Tim & Mark had overtaken Jonathon and Alex. Tim and Mark unfortunately capsized on lap three letting Jonathon and Alex through they also soon caught Steve and over took to take the lead. On the final run on full plane the wind swung and a gale blew one by one the competitors capsized. Jonathon and Steve were one of the final competitors to capsize. The wind was so severe many boats were blown on to the concrete. One by one Southport SC rescued the sailors and their boats. Only one mast was bent and a little scrape to another. The event was unfortunately abandoned, as the weather was just too severe to be sailed. A big thank you to Southport SC for all their help in supplying warm drinks, food and plenty off help. Congratulations to Steve Blackburn crewed by Nick Hampson & Royston Taggart (Pilkington / WLYC for winning the Top Helm Series with 5 Pts. 2nd Tony Woods and Charlie Berry (Etherow) 9 Pts 3rd Karen Morris & Lisa Woods (Etherow) 19pts, Their first year in the Gold Fleet. 4th Charlie Adams & Oliver Hilliker (WLYC) 20pts 5th Alison Payne & Kev Law (Toddbrook) 22Pts By Steve Blackburn www.enterprisenw.co.uk By Steve Blackburn |
Go back to the list of articles