Solo Open Race Report
Published 18:05 on 29 Oct 2026
On Sunday 4th October the sailors arrived for the final Open Meeting of the Northern Travellers series sponsored by Winder Boats and 1st Mark chandlery. Some sailors had competed the day before at Windermere in light conditions.
It was another light day for all 17 competitors. Coffee and bacon butties and a stretch was the start of the day. And it was looking like more of the same for the rest of the day.
The PRO Jon Chapman set his course and told the fleet 1 race, lunch, then two more back to back.
The race got underway. The pre start was key as the pin end was favoured. Andy Carter had a good start followed by Innes Armstrong and Steve Denison. Carter being at the light end of the scales trickled away to lead. The places stayed the same until the finish. Young Cameron Norris had a good race finishing fourth.
The wind did fill in a little bit more at the end of the race. The PRO agreed that race two would be back to back whilst the wind held, then lunch. After a change in wind direction the PRO moved the course slightly and race two could get underway.
Heavily pin end biased again. Steve had a good start this time followed by Innes, Nick Hornsby and Roger Guess. Nick had a bad run losing places and the race finished Steve, Innes, and Roger just pipping Andy on the line for third place.
So, at race three Steve, Andy and Innes could all take the overall win for the day.
With the wind swinging both ends of the line opened up. Steve picked the committee boat end, Andy and Innes the pin. A big shift on the gun saw a bit of a busy start this time. Innes rounded first at the end of the beat, followed by Andy and a tight mix of the fleet. Steve rounded seventh having lost out badly on the start.
Innes and Andy got away and behind it was all about picking the right shifts in a tight pack.Steve had a good run at the end of lap one getting water on four boats.
Innes took the win from Andy, with Steve in third, which became the overall placings as well.
At the end of the day when walking out of the changing room on route to the bar for the prize giving the sailors were offered a free ice cream. Well received by all, enticing them back next year.
Innes made a quick speech thanking all at Budworth for an excellent day's sailing and the galley for the food.
Race Report by Steve Denison, images by James Prestwich
