STREAKER throws down the Gauntlet and WINS!
Our own Tom Gillard took up the challenge of the Shustoke Gauntlet sailed at Shustoke SC in the West Midlands. The event was held on Sunday the 14th of February. This is a very popular well organised event open to all classes between PY's 1386 (Mirror) and 952 (RS400). The racing consists of two 80 - minute pursuit races for monohull and non trapeze dinghies. Entry is limited to 60 boats. The Streaker starting time was 12mins. 56secs after the Mirror. The Solo's started 13mins. 20sec. after the Mirror.
This shows just how organised the Shustoke club were as most pursuit races of this nature (the Battle of the Classes) just start Streakers off with Solo's Grad's et all. Which as we all know handicap wise is not correct. Below is the report from Yachts and Yachting and the winners smile as the Streaker's take home the Gauntlet Trophy along with a copy of the full results.
A light NNW wind greeted the 24 home club boats and 25 visitors who gathered to compete for the annually held Shustoke Gauntlet challenge trophy at Shustoke Sailing Club on Sunday 14th February.
The first of the two 80 minutes pursuit races saw Tom Gillard from Sheffield Viking in his Streaker soon overhauled the slower dinghies to establish a convincing lead and was never caught by the faster boats. At the end of the 80 minutes in 2nd place was Neil Wilkinson from the home club in a Solo, 3rd was Andy Couch from Blithfield in his Phantom, 4th were last years winners Matt Biggs and Ben Hollis also from Blithfield in a Merlin and 5th was Hannah Showell from Shustoke in a Solo.
After lunch the second race started in some winter sunshine but with the same wind. Once again Tom Gillard got through the slower boats and held the lead through to the end of the race, followed by Andy Couch in 2nd place, Pete Evans from Nantwich and Borders in his Phantom was in 3rd place, in 4th place was Neil Wilkinson and 5th Hannah Showell.
For the record 2nd was the Phantom of Andy Couch who beat our own Steve Cockerill and Ian Jones at The Battle of the Classes Boat Show race last year. The Merlin Rocket sailed by Matt Biggs recently won the Tiger Trophy at Rutland.
A great performance from Tom, well sailed.
Photo copyright H2O by Andrews Photography
Celebrate the Dinghy Show with a winning streak
The famed Streaker competition is back! This year, thanks to generous sponsorship, the Streaker Class Owners Association has £500 worth of prizes to give away at the RYA Volvo Dinghy Show. The prizes are
- A substantial collection of Rooster kit
- A voucher for a boat makeover from Butler Boats
- A great-value insurance deal from Noble Marine
- A voucher for a boat cover from Sail Register
To enter, click on the link below or come along to Stand C28 at the Dinghy Show. All you have to do is answer a simple question, and you could win one of these fabulous prizes. The competition is free to enter, and is open to all UK residents (except for members of the SCOA committee and their families). You don’t even have to sail a Streaker to enjoy a winning streak.
Email and web entries close at 5:00 pm on Friday 5 March, and show entries close 3:00 pm on Sunday 7 March. The winners will be drawn at 3:30 pm on Sunday 7 March.
Battle of the Classes 2010
STREAKER SAILORS 1st and 4th at the BOAT SHOW - BATTLE OF THE CLASSES 2010.
Streaker sailors finished 1st Steve Cockerill (Our National Champion sailing his Rooster Graduate) and 4th was Tom Gillard (Our Inland National Champion).
The Streaker Class had planned for 2 Streakers to sail but unfortunately Ian Jones could not make it. Tom though had a good race representing the Streaker Class exchanging the lead with Steve Cockerill on numerous occasions.
A Finn came 2nd, with an Albacore coming 3rd. The Streaker, Graduate, Firefly and Solo's all started together off the same handicap! Tom was sailing Alan's Streaker 1691, gave him a chance to have a look at the Selden mast with the P&B sail.
Just published
The January 2010 Streaker Newsletter.
The first in a new series of newsletters exclusively for members of the Streaker Class Owners Association. Six pages, A4 format, full of news and information.
Distributed free to members, by email or post. If you’re not a member, and would like to receive three copies of the Streaker Newsletter a year, click below:
To join the SCOA, Download the 2010 application form here.
DINGHY SHOW – VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
Once again the Streaker class will be making a splash at the Dinghy Show, held at Alexandra Palace over the weekend of 6/7 March. We will be on the same stand as last year – C28 in the Great Hall. We will have two Streakers on display (one Butler, one Rooster), heaps of information about the boat, lists of clubs where Streakers are sailed, all sorts of things to attract newcomers to the class – and of course the STREAKER COMPETITION (watch this space for further information).
If you haven’t been to the Dinghy Show before, come along and discover what you’ve been missing. It’s a great day out for anyone interested in sailing. For full details and advance ticket purchase visit www.dinghyshow.org.uk.
And if any Streaker sailor would like to help out by manning the Streaker stand for a few hours, please let me know as soon as possible. If you can devote half a day to this, your reward will be free entry to the show on an exhibitor’s pass. Interested? Drop me a line through the committee contact page on this website, or phone 01904 490576.
Hugh Brazier
