A light to moderate breeze and periods of sunshine along with relatively mild weather after the previous weeks big freeze greeted the fifty five competitors for the annual Notts County Sailing Club first of the Year Race. The Open meeting saw competitors from Burton, Carsington, Melton, Rotherham, and Lincoln taking part in a huge variety of dinghies and windsurfers.

With such a large fleet the start and results were split into Fast & Slow handicap & windsurfers. First off soon after 11.30 was the fast handicap and within a lap Kevin Hope & David Parker were leading, but not without challenges from the RS 400 of John Sears & John Parr and Tim Bird in a 505. In the end the two Fireballs took the race on handicap with the RS third.

The slow handicap saw Tim Cripps well up with the leaders in a laser throughout the race, deservedly taking first place from Richard Mason and Paul Brown sailing a laser & Finn. The first junior was William Twemlow crewed by his father the Commodore of the club Ken. Emma Farmer was first lady crew and Nadina Lincoln first lady helm.

The Windsurfes saw Jim all leading at the first mark, Russ Towns soon took over, but was eventually overhauled by Mick Steer from Carsington.

Results: Fast Handicap: 1st Kevin Hope & David Parker (Fireball) - Notts County SC 2nd Alex Piggott & John Rowell (Fireball) - Notts County SC 3rd John Parr & Fiona Hextell (RS400) - Notts County SC 1st Lady Fiona Hextell, 2nd lady Lindsay Ogden

Slow Handicap: 1st Tim Cripps (Laser) - Notts County SC 2nd Richard Mason (Laser) - Notts County SC 3rd Paul Brown (Finn) - 1st Junior helm: William Twemlow, 1st Junior Crew Eric Else , 1st lady crew: Emma Farmer, 1st Lady Hem: Nadina Lincoln

Windsurfers 1st Mick Steer (Carsington) 2nd Russ Towns (Notts County SC) 3rd Adrian White (Notts County SC)

Link to more photos