Notts County Sailing Club members won two of the three fleets in the annual First of the Year Race at the club near Hoveringham this year.

Calm conditions on arriving down at Notts County Sailing club on the First Day of 2008 put the annual First of the Year race in danger of cancellation. A very light breeze picked up, causing a few ripples on the mirror like surface. Forty five boats entered, with competitors from eight local clubs taking part, the event raised over £200 for the RNLI.

Stuart Poole, the Race Officer, started the race about half an hour late with the windsurfers starting first , Gerry Ball from Notts County took an early lead and went on to win by a good margin, with veteran Russ Towns also from Notts County second.

The closest fought fleet was the fast handicap, with places at the top swapping regularly, Richard Mason & Simon Hextel in a Fireball, where often trading places with John Parr and Kim Parnham in an RS400, both from Notts County SC, Richard just won.

The Slow handcap fleet was the largest fleet with 23 entries, saw visitors Russel Short & Kate Fry from Rotherham winning in their Enterprise, with Peter Gray & Sarah Mason from the home club second.

Results: Fast Handicap: 1st Richard Mason & Simon Hextell -Fireball (Notts County SC) 2nd John Parr & Kim Parnham - RS400 (Notts County SC) , 3rd Steph & Martin Gunn - RS400 (Notts County SC) Slow Handicap : 1st Russel Short & Kate Fry - Enterprise (Rotherham), 2nd Peter Gray & Sarah Mason - Scorpion (Notts County SC), 3rd Ross Kenney - Solo Windsurfers: 1st Gerry Ball (Notts County SC), 2nd Russ Towns (Notts County SC), 3rd Ian Pilkington (Notts County SC)

slideshow of photos

Moneys raised at First Year and from collection tin this year