DragonForce 65 and DragonFlite 95 TT at Blithfield Sailing Club

by Alastair Reid 14 Mar 11:07 PDT 8-9 March 2025

DragonForce 65 and DragonFlite 95 TT at Blithfield © Alastair Reid

Blithfield Sailing Club held its third ever radio sailing event, and second TT event, over the 8-9th March 2025. The weather gods were kind and greeted the 37 competitors for DF65 and 36 for the DF95 classes with unseasonable but very welcome sunshine and a good breeze offering up to 18 knots on both days.

To supercharge the weekend from the outset, Darin Ballington showed his Race Officer experience by constructing a course to not only provide a fair start line but also help launch the fleet further offshore to minimise the wind shadow effects from the shoreline. Both days saw a full and uninterrupted schedule take place with only minor delays as the home team sorted out a very single-minded and recalcitrant race mark (our lucky number is not 4). Ultimately put down to a steep gradient on the reservoir bed, it was eventually coaxed into staying put.

DragonForce 65 and DragonFlite 95 TT at Blithfield - photo © Alastair Reid

For the Saturday DF65 races, the wind came from the notoriously fickle ENE corner of the reservoir which filters its path around the clubhouse in a way that sees the wind direction on the bank subtly different from that at DF masthead height. As the day progressed, the wind built with a gust of 18 knots at lunchtime which produced some spectacular nose dives. Several skippers chose to change to A Rig for the afternoon session though the majority toughed it out with the A+.

A full complement of races was completed by 1530 and with nothing less than a second over eight races (how I long to be able to discard a second), John Tushingham was first with Simon Clark and Ken Binks second and third respectively.

DragonForce 65 and DragonFlite 95 TT at Blithfield - photo © Nick Woodhead

The Sunday DF 95 programme saw a near identical ENE wind direction, proving the wisdom of leaving the buoys out overnight. There was a little more breeze early on but the A rig was the choice of the day and no skippers were seen to change from that.

Just as in the full-size racing at this venue, if you think you are handsomely laying the windward mark in this wind direction, do not bear away too early, you will regret it! This was evidenced by the frequent cry of 'contact' at the windward mark.

DragonForce 65 and DragonFlite 95 TT at Blithfield - photo © Nick Woodhead

The heats continued at their usual fast and furious pace throughout the day with carefully scheduled breaks to allow the full scale Club fleet to launch and recover. The day concluded at 1540 hours after nine races each. John Tushingham was again masterful (albeit he did have to discard a much more reasonable sixth amongst his scores) and came first with Peter Baldwin and David Burke second and third.

With a galley crew keen to show off their newly refurbished workspace, Blithfield's home team provided a quality option for both breakfast and lunch, designed to be served across a wide period of service to meet the unrelentingly quick pace of these races. To finish the day with a warm sunset and a refreshment of your choice just added to the impact of the location and occasion.

DragonForce 65 and DragonFlite 95 TT at Blithfield - photo © Alastair Reid

In accepting the winners prize, John thanked the club and race team along with a wish to return again to the venue.

The home team were grateful for the many plaudits from the visitors and their unmistakable sense of wishing to return to Blithfield.

DF65 Results:

Position	Sail No	Skipper	Club/City	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	Pts
1	51	John Tushingham	Keighley & Dist MES Ltd	2	1	2	1	20	1	1	2	8
2	64	Simon Clark	West Cornwall RSC	1	3	10	10	4	4	3	3	18
3	83	Ken Binks	Eastbourne & District	4	40	12	2	13	5	20	9	26
4	120	David Potter	Birkenhead	1	20	1	16	15	23	4	4	27
5	12	Buzz Coleman	Coalhouse ort MYC	6	5	19	6	30	6	80	1	27
6	63	Peter Baldwin	Birkenhead RS&PC	5	10	5	3	5	8	6	8	320
7	30	David Burke	Fleetwood MY & PBC	7	17	8	13	1	2	7	12	37
8	45	Jerry Ibberson	ROF WAC	5	9	3	7	8	20	16	13	45
9	42	Wayne Stobbs	Gosport MYBC	4	16	18	8	16	9	10	5	520
10	154	Paul Plested	Birkenhead RS & PBC	2	12	6	18	7	13	15	21	55
11	57	Jim La Roche	Datchet	11	6	17	12	9	14	50	16	57
12	97	Paul Robson	Poole RYC	11	25	16	5	11	12	18	7	620
13	14	Bob Conner	Woodspring MYC	10	8	9	9	18	18	13	17	66
14	66	Martyn Aspinall	Rotherham MYC	20	24	14	11	10	3	9	20	67
15	53	Clive Warren	Birkenhead RS&PC	9	23	28	4	6	23	11	14	67
16	7	Olly Murray	Fleetwood MY&PBC	20	7	4	17	14	7	23	38	69
17	100	Liz Tushingham	Keighley & Dist MES Ltd	13	20	23	14	12	10	14	6	69
18	302	Chris More	Askern RSC	3	14	11	15	20	31	23	10	73
19	558	Jonathon Kneale	West Cornwall RSC	6	11	15	23	24	16	120	18	78
20	165	David Nickerson	Birmingham	13	15	13	20	19	11	17	23	88
21	6	Paul Middleton	Fleetwood MY&PBC	3	18	27	25	25	24	19	19	108
22	34	Alan Barnstable	Woodspring MYC	12	26	7	19	320	19	27	28	110
23	588	Tim Leary	Pembrokeshire MYC	15	30	29	21	17	25	24	11	113
24	19	Barry Rolfe	Birmingham MYC	10	27	20	36	22	30	28	15	122
25	663	Neil Thomas	Pembrokeshire MYC	8	13	22	38	29	34	32	22	126
26	920	Bill Hancock	Rudyard Lake MYC	7	21	31	30	38	17	26	30	131
27	161	Simon Cornes	Rudyard Lake MYC	12	29	21	26	21	29	25	29	134
28	303	Lisa More	Askern RSC	8	22	26	24	36	38	31	26	137
29	173	Jay Williamson	Pembrokeshire MYC	9	28	34	22	27	27	30	24	137
30	69	Jen Hand	Lincoln RSC	20	19	24	27	28	23	33	34	141
31	572	Rob Mathewson	West Cornwall RSC	14	33	30	31	23	26	21	27	141
32	39	John Lees	Blithfield MYC	20	31	33	29	31	15	20	32	146
33	712	Garry Box	Manor Park RSC	15	35	25	28	34	28	34	31	161
34	140	Ian Gethin	Blithfield MYC	20	32	35	32	30	32	29	33	175
35	40	Justine Davenport	Abersoch RYC	16	36	37	33	26	33	38	35	179
36	0	Alan Smith	Fleetwood MY & PBC	17	37	36	35	33	38	38	25	183
37	130	David Baker	Birmingham MYC	14	34		34	35	35	38	38	184

DF95 Results:

Position	SallNo	Skipper	Club/City	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	Pts
1	51	John Tushingham	Keighley & Dist MES Ltd	1	1	2	6	1	2	2	3	2	11
2	172	Peter Baldwin	Birkenhead RS & PC	1	13	7	9	2	7	1	4	1	23
3	330	David Burke	Fleetwood MY & PBC	3	3	3	10	13	3	6	2	5	25
4	20	David Potter	Birkenhead	3	2	1	1	11	8	10	13	6	31
5	12	Buzz Coleman	Coalhouse Fort MYC	4	5	9	2	6	6	15	1	9	33
6	83	Ken Binks	Eastbourne & District	2	6	4	3	3	14	7	9	11	34
7	6	Paul Middleton	Fleetwood MY&PBC	5	12	8	5	8	18	8	6	13	52
8	188	Rod Radbourne	Manor Park RSC	7	16	5	8	5	1	12	15	15	53
9	877	Martyn Aspinal	Rotherham MYC	4	9	12	16	4	17	9	14	10	62
10	97	Paul Robson	Poole RYC	6	23	22	26	19	9	4	10	4	74
11	42	Wayne Stobbs	Gosport MYBC	10	10	14	15	7	5	13	21	22	74
12	34	Alan Barnstable	Woodspring MYC	5	15	18	12	17	10	11	8	22	78
13	36	Bob Lafbery	Keighley & District	15	7	15	4	9	15	18	23	28	83
14	102	Chris More	Askern RSC	11	14	6	19	20	22	37	5	8	83
15	9	Steve Venables	Manor Park Radio SC	2	21	17	7	14	20	23	12	12	84
16	45	Jerry Ibberson	ROFWAC	7	4	13	18	35	27	5	17	22	86
17	154	Paul Plested	Birkenhead RS & PC	8	8	10	14	18	16	28	18	27	92
18	62	Simon Clark	West Cornwall RSC	10	24	11	13	22	22	3	16	37	97
19	93	Clive Warren	Birkenhead RS & PC	8	18	29	11	16	19	34	26	3	101
20	169	Bill Hancock	Rudyard Lake MYC	6	20	22	22	10	4	17	37	35	101
21	661	Jonathon Kneale	West Cornwall RSC	13	34	28	17	15	13	14	20	14	106
22	14	Bob Conner	Woodspring MYC	15	11	19	20	23	29	22	7	18	112
23	712	Garry Box	Manor Park Radio SC	13	33	16	22	25	25	22	19	7	124
24	118	Steve Thomas	Rudyard	12	25	25	36	27	12	22	11	19	126
25	173	Jay Williamson	Pembrokeshire MYC	14	28	27	30	12	11	22	29	16	130
26	57	Jim La Roche	Datchet	9	17	32	24	22	23	16	30	26	137
27	365	David Nickerson	Birmingham MYC	9	19	30	23	30	30	24	22	30	157
28	69	Jen Hand	Lincoln Radio SC	14	30	23	25	31	26	25	28	17	158
29	100	Liz Tushingham	Keighley & Dist MES Ltd	12	26	33	28	32	24	29	27	23	169
30	563	Neil Thomas	Pembrokeshire MYC	16	29	20	31	29	28	26	37	25	173
31	103	Lisa More	Askern RSC	18	27	24	27	28	32	30	25	24	173
32	519	Barry Rolfe	Birmingham MYC	11	31	26	29	26	31	27	33	29	179
33	503	Simon Cornes	Rudyard Lake MYC	16	23	31	32	24	33	35	32	32	190
34	688	Tim Leary	Pembrokeshire MYC	17	36	35	34	33	37	32	24	34	209
35	645	Justine Davenport	Abersoch RYC	18	32	36	33	36	37	31	31	31	212
36	13	Alan Smith	Fleetwood MY & PBC	17	35	34	35	34	34	33	34	33	219