A strong fleet of 16 boats (six visitors, ten local) arrived at the start line for the traditional Flying 15 Open Meeting at Middle Nene SC, which was held on 14th/15th June as part of the Southern Traveller Series.

The weather forecast of a lively weekend was spot-on and Race Officer Tony Wright had to allow for testing conditions with heavy gusts and up to 30 degree wind shifts throughout the Saturday, with somewhat easier conditions on Sunday morning. The RO had made full use of the beautiful lake and so the 15s could really live up to their name, literally 'flying' across the water in some spectacular scenes.

Saturday: blustery and challenging

Saturday delivered fresh to strong breezes, ranging from Force 3 to Force 5, pushing sailors' skills and boats to the limit. Three races were held in these brisk conditions. Gusts and shifts added an extra layer of challenge, with boat handling and tactical decision-making proving crucial.

John Hanson and Helen Selden (RYA, 4094) rose to the occasion, claiming two wins and a third to sit atop the leaderboard at the end of the day. Jeremy Arnold and Richard Hope (Draycote SC, 2646) sailed consistently to stay in close contention.

Several teams were caught out by the gusty conditions. Notably, a few DNS and DNF results hinted at gear issues and retirements across the fleet, underlining the testing nature of the day.

Sunday: lighter and tricky

Sunday brought a significant change, with reduced wind strength and more tactical racing. Lighter conditions made speed and clean air the focus. Two races were completed, rounding out a five-race series with one discard.

The lighter breeze allowed some of the mid-fleet boats to shine, with tighter racing and increased opportunities for overtaking. However, John Hanson and Helen Selden maintained their composure to finish with a strong set of results and secure the overall win. Jeremy Arnold and Richard Hope held on to second, while Mark Greer and Jim Reid (MNSC 2433) took third.

At the prize-giving MNSC Commodore Peter McCallum thanked the visitors from across the country for coming to Thrapston and bringing such a great range of boats from the Classic, Silver and Gold series, including the exceptionally well-preserved 485 from Plockton SBSC. The visitors, in turn, thanked their hosts for the friendly welcome, competent race management and the great catering, including the Summer BBQ on Saturday evening.

Flying 15s continue to be one of the most active fleets at Middle Nene SC and the next event is already planned for early June 2026, with details to be announced in good time. For any questions about this event please contact [email protected]
 

Overall Results:

 

Pos	Boat	Sail No	Helm	Crew	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	Pts
1st		4094	John Hanson	Helen Selden	RYA	1	‑3	1	3	1	6
2nd		2646	Jeremy Arnold	Richard Hope	Draycote SC	2	1	3	‑9	2	8
3rd	Hens Tooff	2433	Mark Greer	Jim Reid	MNSC	3	2	2	1	‑4	8
4th		3903	Gary Stuart	Robert Dyson	NSC	(OCS)	5	4	2	3	14
5th		3033	Matt Yallop	Gary Livingstone	MNSC	(OCS)	4	5	4	8	21
6th		2433	Roo Jarvis	Julie West	MNSC	4	6	‑8	6	6	22
7th		485	Graham Sharp	Alasdair Sharp	Plockton SBSC	‑7	7	6	5	5	23
8th		3873	Neil Bartholomey	Vickie Wigmore	MNSC	5	9	(DNF)	8	9	31
9th		2658	Jamie Nicol	Rachel Nicol	MNSC	6	8	9	‑12	10	33
10th		3707	Brian Turner	Peter Comber	Broxbourne SC	DNF	10	7	7	(DNF)	34
11th		2864	Tony Everard	Graham Berrill	MNSC	9	(DNS)	10	11	11	41
12th		2240	Daniel Wigmore	Sarah ? / Solomon Day	MNSC	8	11	DNF	(DNS)	DNS	47
13th		3829	Ian Shaw	Stephanie Graham	NCSC	(DNS)	DNS	DNS	10	7	51
14th		3732	Simon Shaw	Elizabeth Shaw	MNSC	DNF	(DNS)	DNS	14	13	54
15th		2668	Solomon Day	Colin Clements	MNSC	(DNS)	DNS	DNS	13	12	59
16th	Squall	1155	Graham Lamond	Rachel Lamond	Ripon SC/Sir John Fisher SC	(DNS)	DNS	DNS	DNF	DNF	63