SigneT Open at Littleton

Littleton SC is scarcely ten minutes drive from Aquarius but it is completely different. It has a spacious two story clubhouse looking out over water which is a large gravel pit alongside the M4 motorway.

On Sunday 1 September Littleton hosted the penultimate SigneT Open of 2002. The day was warm and sunny with a light breeze blowing from the NE. Nine SigneTs contested the meeting (albeit that the results recorded Ten entrants). The first race started at 11.00am and was led from start to finish by Littletom Members Paul & Alice Nicholson in ST186. They were followed in by Roy Melsom & Emma Nicholson ST761 Steve & Jonathon Leeding in ST53. Several of the dinghys fell foul of the thick Littleton weed that lurks just under the surface of the water. It can wrap itself around rudders and centre plates and bring a boat to a virtual stand still.

After a short break the second race got underway at 12:45pm. By this time the breeze was dropping and the dinghys became very spaced out. Again Paul swept all before him and romped home

well ahead of the field. ST186 was followed in by Rob Britton & Richard Cannon ST386 and John Pratt and Michael Stevens in ST872.

Following lunch the last race got underway at about 3:15pm. Conditions had improved a little but, as the race wore on, the winds got lighter and lighter and very flukey. In the end the OOD decided to finish everybody as they rounded the top mark. Again Paul and Alice took the honours followed by Keith Hatton & Mike Baker in ST858 and Roy Melsom & Emma Nicholson in ST761

The prize giving was held in the clubhouse bar. Keith Hatton & Mike Baker were third in ST858, Roy Melsom & Emma Nicholson were second in ST761 and Paul & Alice Nicholson were first in ST186. Roy was also presented with the Nationals Single Handed Trophy which he won at Rutland Water back in August. Other placings were as follows. Rob Britton and Richard Cannon in ST368 4th, Steve & Jonathon Leeding in ST53 5th, John Pratt & Michael Stevens in ST872 6th, Sam Anderson Brown & Ben Mitchell in ST2 7th, Mark Cowling & Michael Overs in ST914 8th, Lizzy & Pat Overs in ST690 9th and Michael Overs & Mark Cowling in ST914 10th.

Many thanks to Littleton SC for their hospitality and to Steve Leeding for organising the meeting. Hope to see you all at Ferry Meadows in October to wind-up this years open series.

Mike (Over Easy) Baker