Banbury Sailing Club 

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Vintage Merlin Rocket Open

The first race was led for the first four laps by Keto (Mervyn Allen and Lora Stock) only to be overtaken on the last lap by Fat Marce(Ben Marshal & John Wilkes) who held on to take the gun from Keto and Ten Sixty Six (Tim Bury and Pat Kuenzler) with last year’s winner, Busy B (Ian & Ruby Levin) coming in fourth. Unfortunately, Poo Bah (Jonathan Reubin & Kate Ashby) suffered damage to their mast gate on the last lap and had to retire for the day.
 

After a leisurely lunch which provided an opportunity for the crews to take on extra ballast, the second race got underway in a wind which had decreased slightly. Ten Sixty Six led from Keto for the first two laps only for Keto to take the lead in the third and manage to hold on to the lead until the finish. Warrior (Paul Seamen & Eileen Barry) came through into third followed by Fat Marce, Bow Bell (Denis & Trevor Lockwood) and Busy B last after retirements by Sidhe Gaoth (Robin & Barnaby Levin) and Iska (Chris & Lois Barlow).

Following a pit stop for tea and cakes, six boats took to the water for the third race with the trophy still up for grabs. Ten Sixty Six got away to a got start and held a good lead for most of the first lap until the helm’s local knowledge got the better of him and he managed to find a part of the reservoir with much water but a lot of mud. Busy B got through into the lead and managed to hold on over the next two laps to take the gun from Fat Marc, Warrior and Bow Bell with the early leader, Ten Sixty Six, trailing in last after managing to explore the shallows again on the second lap.

Impressive Varnish!	1066 not quite aground	Keto puts on a sprint

With both Keto and Fat Marce having a win and a second place to give them three points, the series went to Ben Marshal & John Wilkes in Fat Marce as a result of their seond place in the last race and they were awarded the Banbury Cross Shield. Keto took second place and last year’s winner, Busy B, narrowly pipped Ten Sixty Six to third place.

The Vintage Banbury Cross Shield was first presented in 1952 and was awarded until 1965 to the winner of the Silver Tiller Open at Banbury. In 1965, the shield was replaced for the main Open and the old shield has recently been resurrected for the Vintage Merlin Rocket Open. The early winners include such notable names as Jack Holt of Ranelagh and Les Brain of Midland.

Thanks to the PDO and duty crew who kept things running smoothly all day and to Norman for his usual sterling work in the bar keeping our fluids level topped up. Thanks also to the various cake and pudding providers and to the superb cook (whom I am too modest to name) for making sure that everybody had too much for lunch.

We look forward to welcoming back the Vintage Merlins next year for some more relaxed racing and to perhaps wresting back the trophy from Minima.

Richard Turner