Miracle class 50th Anniversary Regatta at Carsington Sailing Club

Miracle class 50th Anniversary Regatta at Carsington © Thomas Metcalfe-Smith

The Miracle 50th Anniversary Regatta was hosted at Carsington Sailing Club as a joint event with the Graduate Nationals over the late May Bank Holiday 2024.

Saturday kicked off with sunshine and breeze with three races planned in. The Graduates were keen and had a general recall, so went to the back of the start sequence. The Miracles showed more discipline and got away cleanly. Graham Watts and Helen Jacks in 4114 sailed down to the pin end of the start and Hannah and Tom Metcalfe-Smith started at the committee boat end and took to the right-hand side of the course, reaching the windward mark first, with Graham and Helen in second place, just ahead of Wayne Atherton and Angela Sweeney in third and Dave Southwell and daughter Rebecca in fourth.

The second beat gave some opportunities with Graham and Helen dropping back to fourth, with Wayne and Angela moving up to second place and Dave and Rebecca into third. On the sausage, brother and sister duo Nick and Tanya Copsey caught up to second place only to slip back again on the third beat. Dave and Rebecca Southwell came through to come second and Graham and Helen came in third.

For the second race of the first day, Dave and Rebecca were first to the windward mark, but Graham and Helen passed him on the reach and stayed ahead until the final sausage leg, where Dave and Rebecca gybed over to secure the inside line to the bottom mark, to take the win by a boat length. Andrew Robinson and Hannah Mumford took third place, with Simon and Vivian Turnball pipped on the line by a last minute tack by Hannah and Tom Metcalfe-Smith for fifth and fourth place respectively.

For the final race of the first day, the Copseys were first around the windward mark, closely followed by Hannah and Tom, with Wayne and Angela in third and Graham and Helen in fourth. The Copseys continued to lead down the triangle, but Hannah and Tom overtook them on the second beat to take first place and the win, with Wayne and Angela and dad/daughter duo Simon and Vivian battling for second and third place. An honourable mention goes to Beatrice Overend and Joseph Barnes who were taking part in their first Miracle event from Liverpool Sailing Club.

After a great day on the water, the sailors were treated to a wonderful meal hosted by Carsington Sailing Club for the Saturday of the bank holiday weekend.

Miracle class 50th Anniversary Regatta at Carsington - photo © Thomas Metcalfe-Smith

Sunday arrived with a mixed forecast of light winds, rain and thunder and lightning in the afternoon. The first race of the day, Simon and Vivian got off to a cracking start and arrived at the windward mark first with Wayne and Angela close behind followed by Hannah and Tom. Wayne and Angela pulled through to take the line honours for this race, with Simon and Vivian taking second place. Hannah and Tom fell into a hole in the wind on the final beat and tumbled down the order. Graham and Helen managed to pull through from second to last to finish in third. Simon and Julie Dolman got their best result of the weekend with a seventh place after a strong final beat.

For the second race of the day, John Purdie and Ian Duncan took the right hand side of the course and were second around the windward mark, closely following Simon and Vivian Turnball. At the other end of the fleet, Andrew Robinson and Hannah Mumford were second to last around the windward mark, but turned this around into a third place finish after a successful right hand beat. Paul Robinson and his son Nathan were going well up the beats, eventually coming in fifth, after being beaten to the line by Wayne and Angela for fourth. Graham and Helen pipped Simon and Julie Dolman on the line, having overhauled Hannah and Tom on the downwind leg.

The third race of the day was scheduled for after the lunch break. Whilst we were all enjoying lunch the race officer was working hard to secure a course for us, but the wind wasn't playing ball. The forecast thunder and lightning arrived as well. With the prospect of an inconsistent wind direction to lay a course, plus thunder, racing was abandoned for the afternoon, ready to resume tomorrow.

Miracle class 50th Anniversary Regatta at Carsington - photo © Thomas Metcalfe-Smith

The Bank Holiday Monday of the regatta started with a decent breeze and sunshine so the sailors were on the water and raring to go on time for the remaining two races. Graham and Helen lead the race from start to finish, with a second place for Andrew and Hannah, battling with Wayne and Angela downwind. A calamitous start was had for Hannah and Tom, who capsized on the start line and retired from racing with a broken boom, to be taken home in two entirely separate parts. Another retiree from the race was stand-in helm Gerald Copsey, having lost Tanya overboard through missing the toestraps.

The second race of the day saw Graham and Helen replicate their success in the first, starting part way down the line, and lead the race from start to finish, despite a tough battle with Wayne and Angela on the downwind legs, as the wind speed reduced. Andrew and Hannah claimed another good result with a third, with David and Rebecca Southwell coming in fourth.

Overall results, with an exciting final day, where all of the top five boats stood a chance of snagging the top spot, Graham and Helen took first place honours, with Wayne and Angela in second and David and Rebecca Southwell in third.

Many thanks from the Miracles and Graduates to Carsington Sailing Club for their excellent hosting, the race and rescue teams for keeping us racing through tough conditions, and looking after the sailors on the water. Another thanks goes to the galley staff who kept us fed and watered throughout a very successful and enjoyable weekend.

Miracle class 50th Anniversary Regatta at Carsington - photo © Thomas Metcalfe-Smith

Overall Results:

Miracle class 50th Anniversary Regatta at Carsington - photo © Thomas Metcalfe-Smith