Goodacre Cup 2023 at Roadford Lake Sailing Club

The August Bank holiday saw Roadford Lake SC host the annual Goodacre Cup open handicap event, this year combined with the Buzz Inland Championship. Entries came from as far away as Birmingham and Medway and included some visitors who have been making the trip for 10 years and more.

Saturday brought a gusty North Westerly breeze with some gusts perhaps getting up to 20mph. Local Supernova sailor Norman Halstead set the scene in race 1 when he arrived first at mark 1 and continued to pull away slowly followed by Liam McGrath in a K1. On the first long reach Norman missed a mark (a mistake which seemed quite common for various crews over the weekend!) and was followed by Liam. Both realised, recovered, and Norman even went on to take line honours 2 laps later followed by the first of the Buzzes sailed by Stuart Bailey and Penny Eyre of Wilsonian SC. Race 2 followed immediately with Ian and Bridget Staple of Barnt Green SC taking line honours but not quite by enough to beat the handicap.

Three races were scheduled for Sunday in very similar conditions but with gusts perhaps a little stronger. The top places were taken by all the usual suspects, Norman ending the day with 5 bullets on the board. All the talk at the end of the day seemed to centre around the aches and pains of contestants from skinned hands to huge bruises and cuts, but everyone seemed to have enjoyed themselves anyway.

Bank Holiday Monday saw the final 2 races, but the wind was closer to Northerly and significantly lower in strength. The Buzzes really came into their own, not least because they were the only ones able to plane! Ian and Stuart shared the spoils at the finish line, but under handicap Norman and Liam kept themselves in the mix.

Overall this left Norman retaining the trophy, Ian and Bridget second, Stuart and Penny pipping Liam into third.

Special mention needs to be made of Steve Tostevin. On Sunday he attempted to bend his boom with his forehead (easily attempted but it never works!) but refused an HIA. Subsequently though he sailed faster than ever before! NOTE This is not a recommended improvement strategy, even if it worked for Steve!

Thanks go out to Richard Willows for organising the whole event and giving up on his Monday racing to officiate, together with David Evans and Phil Murray for officiating at various times