Hollingworth Lake Sailing Club

Photo: Graham Knox

Boats line up for the start of a race

The strong westerly breeze at Hollingworth Lake on Sunday 2 July was challenging for racers. The occasional squalls meant capsizes were likely and kept the safety boat crew in action.

It was mainly the club’s younger sailors who kept going. Young Jasper Bramwell, in his Topper, won all three races with Tom Sander Daniel, in a Laser, taking three runner-up spots. Les Bithell and Emma Turner, in a Merlin Rocket, took third place in the first race and decided that was enough. There were several retirements in that first race. Millie Hayfield went out for the second race and came third, ahead of Xavier Bramwell, both in Toppers.

Several of the club’s members went to Ullswater for the annual weekend of racing to honour the memory of Lord Birkett who saved the lake for recreational use many years ago. Conditions were so rough in the strong winds that the lake’s large steamers did not go out.

207 boats had entered the event and 150 took to the water to race, but only 100 survived to finish. Club members in RS400 dinghies were Chris Massey, crewed by Andy McKee, and Richard and Heather Marsh, who finished well up in 15th and 18th places respectively with many tales to tell of the fast racing. Adam and Jacob Din were out in their 420 and were the best placed of that class.