Midland Area Championship 1995

With further places available in the UK Team for this years Worlds at stake, thirty seven boats gathered at Draycote Water on 29th & 30th April. Two races were held each day.

The FIRST RACE started in a gentle breeze and at the end of the first beat Tim Ware led from Nick Goldsmith and Mike Bloor. At the end Ware won with Barnaby Smith coming through to second, Guy Wilkins - returning to Mirrors after a few years break - third. Philip Goodwin recovered well from a bad start to go through to fourth while Goldsmith drpped to seventh.

The SECOND RACE was postponed as the wind died and shifted. Eventually the first beat saw Smith lead from Simon Gillow, Goodwin and Guy Wilkins. Smith pulled away to win with Goodwin second, Gillow third and Gavin Sims fourth.

Sundays weather was similar to Saturdays and Smith carried on where he left oft, leading RACE THREE from start to finish. Behind him Howard Tear and Ian Capener battled all the way with Capener holding off Tear. Gillow again sailed well for fourth.

The FINAL RACE started in a dying breeze and Ware and Capener rounded the first mark together with Tear, Gillow and Matthew Greenhill in hot pursuit. Ware pulled away only to lose it on the penultimate beat. On the final beat Ware tacked twenty one times trying to wear out Capener hoping that Capener’s recent knee operation would have its effect. However Capener got to the line first only to find that he had been disqualified for starting prematurely. Thus Ware was first, Gillow second, Wilkins third and Tear fourth.

So Bamaby Smith and James Newton became the 1995 Midland Champions. Despite the lack of wind a good weekend's racing had been had by all with some gaining valuable points for their bid to go to the Worlds.

Overall results:

Editors Note: This article is from Reflections No. 105 Summer 1995, page 9. It has been captured by OCR, so typos & errors are possible.