Merlin Rocket Midland Mug and Craftinsure Silver Tiller series at Midland Sailing Club

The second round of the Craftinsure Silver Tiller series took place at Midland SC on Sunday 26th March. It was also HD Sails Midland Circuit Round 2. 23 boats braved a cold north easterly breeze which promised to be gusty and shifty as ever. Edgbaston Reservoir is well known for its wind shifts and any direction with an N in it is likely to be very taxing afloat!

Paul Young and his team set a nice relatively neutral line and the fleet got off at the first attempt. Tom Gillard & Rachael Gray always seem in a hurry and led at the first mark from a pack of boats including veteran multiple winners Mike & Jane Calvert and Caroline Croft & Pete Gray.

Tom & Rachael held this lead all race, though Matt Biggs & Beka Jones were never all that far away and in the gusty and shifty conditions there were big gains to be made in the event of an error. Caroline & Pete came in third.

Paul and the team elected to get two races in before lunch as the wind was forecast to drop and become less stable as the day wore on. It showed signs of this at the start of this race as a large shift necessitated a change of course. We got away cleanly again as the wind went left making the pin the place to be, then it was a matter of staying in pressure.

There were some murmurs about doing two races back-to-back before lunch and Tom & Rachael were clearly starving as they once again disappeared into the lead. The track was made rather one way by a shift back to the original north easterly by the end of the first lap making gains much harder to find and it being more about pressure than shifts. Matt & Beka again came in second with Caroline & Pete in third again.

The galley team provided the necessary sustenance for the cold and hungry fleet. The break was also welcomed by one visitor who missed his toe straps on the close spinnaker reach and was seen drying his hat under the hand dryer.

Merlin Rocket Midland Mug and Craftinsure Silver Tiller series at Midland SC - photo © Douglas Bridger

Race three saw a reversion to the original course and the breeze appeared relatively settled. As most of the fleet set up for a committee boat end start the wind started to track left presenting those who chose to avoid the battle of Trafalgar with the opportunity to cross the fleet.

However the temptation to cross was negated by the further bend further up the pool which was exploited by Tom & Rachael to round (I think) first again from an extremely ordinary start.

This time they did sail well clear as the battle for second was being fought by four boats. Locals Chris Martin & John Tailby came through following a tight battle with Mike & Jane and Caroline & Pete. There was no room for error and plenty of opportunity to make one in the fickle breeze. Chris & John held second following a late charge from the Calvert's who came in third.

Tom & Rachael won all three races to take the Midland Mug on their first visit to the club. Matt & Beka counted two seconds from the first two races to come in second overall, and Caroline & Pete also counted the two thirds to come in third overall, pipping the first local boat Chris & John by one point.

First in Bronze fleet were Nigel & Freya Hudson, but a due mention should go to Paul Atwell & Lyndall Merry who took their 50-year-old September Girl design into second bronze beating several much newer boats in hardly their ideal conditions! They also won the De May prize.

Paul Atwell and Lyndall Merry, DeMay prize - Merlin Rocket Midland Mug and Craftinsure Silver Tiller series at Midland SC - photo © Anna Aylward

First Silver was taken by Colin Anderson & Samuel Bailey and first Gold by James Wells & Anna Aylward.

The Craftinsure Silver makes a long-awaited return to Queen Mary SC next weekend (Saturday 1st April) after many years absence, followed by Ranelagh Sailing Club on Sunday 2nd April.

Overall Results:

Tom Gillard and Rachael Gray lead the fleet - Merlin Rocket Midland Mug and Craftinsure Silver Tiller series at Midland SC - photo © Douglas Bridger