Bartley Beast 2023/24 - Week 4

Bartley Beast 2023/24 Week 4 © Nigel Hudson

A light wind forecast met the band of club members and visitors who gathered for the fourth and final day of the Bartley Beast series for winter 2023/24.

The day was set as the wind gradually built from almost nothing to a steady 8 - 10 knots southerly for the start of the first race. The format of four races in the day alternating between double and single handers is now well established. The OOD for the day Steve Ward and the duty crew set out to use the full extent of the reservoir as the watery sunshine broke through.

Double handers led off 11 am, 5 Merlins on the line led to a competitive edge with Mark Reddington and Matt Biggs pushing the line with Richie Adams on their wing with a view on the overall finish. A great mixed fleet with combinations of Albacores, GP14s a Graduate, Enterprise, and an RS400. The wind eased a little mid race, with Rich Adams and Sean Andersen in the Merlin finding every ounce of pressure to take a commanding lead with strong performances from the Enterprise and Graduate keeping the front of the fleet honest. Richie Adams took the first race from Jeremy Shinton and Harry Ashworth in the Albacore and Paul Young and Jan Kimber in their Enterprise.

Bartley Beast 2023/24 Week 4 - photo © Nigel Hudson

The second race saw the southerly wind shift and more a consistent south easterly as expected. A committee boat end start, and a quick port hitch put Chris Martin round the windward mark first in the Scorpion, only for a damaged transom on the next beat putting an end to their day as they tried to squeeze every ounce of pressure but sailing to close to the dam wall. Some tight reaching battles, with the Graduate and Enterprise and GP's battling in the middle of the fleet on the water. Matt Biggs and Becka Jones in the Merlin took line honours and the win with a consistent Richie Adams / Sean Anderson second and Jeremy and Harry third.

Single handers, equally competitive first start with a recall seeing a couple of Phantoms return giving the ILCA and OKs the early lead. Debbie Degge showing great form in a Comet with the fleet including a gaggle of ILCAs and Supernovas, a Lightning, an RS300 and a guest appearance of a Europe in the hands of James Dawes. The win went to Debbie Degge on corrected time from Andy Davis and Ed Bradburn the OK's.

Second race with a right shift as the start gun went could have left the OOD embarrassed by a fetch to the first mark, but it shifted back and held although allowed the lead boats to sneak away. Andy Davis took the win over Adam Froggatt in the Phantom and Debbie Degge in third.

As the sunshine fell away the results for the Beast Burns Out day 4. The fizz and chocolates went to Andy Davis in the OK followed by Debbie Degge in the Comet and Adam Froggatt in a Phantom. In the double handers the Albacore of Jeremy Shinton and Harry Ashworth in second breaking up the Merlins of Richie and Sean, and Matt and Beka in 1st and 3rd respectively. Roger Pass and Sally Evans in the Graduate took the best place Bartley prize.

Bartley Beast 2023/24 Week 4 - photo © Nigel Hudson

For the overall result it was a close-run thing with the days' result shifting the top places but consistency over the series underpinning the results. The Bartley Beast was awarded to Andy Davis for the overall series win with second and third going to Duncan Adams and Adam Froggett in Phantoms and John Ling in fourth as the highest placed Bartley boat.

In the double handers the series went to Richie Adams and Sean Anderson leading Rob Kennaugh and Andy Prosser in the Merlin Rockets with Chris Matin and Josh Oates in the Scorpion taking third. The Merlin of Howard Eeles and Justin Gem where best place Bartley Boat. There has been some spectacular sailing over the series, but mention must go to Adam Froggatt pitch polling his Phantom as he accelerated in 30 knots plus rightly takes bragging rights and the prize for most memorable 'event' of the series, while Phil Smith in the Albacore making it down from West Kirby to complete the series took the traveller prize.

Reflecting overall on year three of the event, it is fantastic to see a total of 40 double handed entries and 58 single handers entries and 91 boats completing in one or more of the four race series. Our thanks go to the duty crews and home team who enable these events to happen, our sponsors and Andrew Simpson Foundation Birmingham as Bartley SC training partner. The full results for the day and the overall series can be on our website www.bartleysailingclub.com. The home team are already working on the detail for next year and look forward to reconvening for the fourth iteration of "The Bartley Beast".

Bartley Beast 2023/24 Prize Giving - photo © Nigel Hudson

Bartley Beast 2023/24 Prize Giving - photo © Nigel Hudson

Overall Results:

Single Handers

Double Handers