London Mid-Week Series 2010, following dates are now confirmed

Race Date Start High Water Tide height, Metres
Mid-Week race 1 6 Tuesday April 18.45 20.15 5.98
Mid-Week race 2 22 Thursday April 19.00 18.25 6.25
Mid-Week race 3 6 Thursday May 19.00 20.39 5.83
Mid-Week race 4 21 Friday May 19.15 20.58 6.16
Mid-Week race 5 4 Friday June 18.45 20.03 6.05
Mid-Week race 6 18 Friday June 18.45 19.44 6.62
Mid-Week race 7 5 Monday July 19.15 20.55 5.86
Mid-Week race 8 19 Monday July 19.15 21.06 6.53
Mid-Week race 9 4 Wednesday Aug 19.15 21.03 5.80
Mid-Week race 10 17 Tuesday Aug 19.00 20.36 6.46

Results 2010

Boat Helm Crew Race 1 Race 2 Race 3 Race 4 Race 5 Race 6 Race 7 Race 8 Race 9 Race 10 Total
                           
S 3683 Michael John Gifford   2 4 1 2             9
E 22563 Allan Munroe-Faure Callum Munro-Faure 3 14 7 6             30
M 1993 Tim Harrison Anna 10 11 5 10             36
M 2406 Chris Gould   18 9 6 8             41
Lark 2411 Chris Whitehouse Ellie Bremmer 1 1 2 50             54
L185984 Chris Edwards   4 50 9 3             66
Laser 0 Nigel Edwards   50 3 10 5             68
Laser 5 Liam Dempsey   11 7 50 7             75
M2444 Thomas Stolper   13 13 3 50             79
M 2406 Dave Evans   50 12 15 4             81
L161373 Joe Driver   12 16 8 50             86
Laser 135681 Richard Tolkien   50 15 16 11             92
S356 Sara Bennett   50 19 12 14             95
L Radial 147087 Stephanie Tollemache   18 50 18 15             101
N12 3433 Tom Hayhoe   6 50 4 50             110
Laser 1 Nick Barnett   7 6 50 50             113
S3150 Maciek   50 28 22 13             113
Laser 5 John Goringe   50 5 14 50             119
Laser 2 Lukas Kolff   5 50 20 50             125
N12 3423 Rebecca Johnson   50 50 17 9             126
Laser 179653 Maury Shenk   50 8 19 50             127
S 3508 Nick Price   50 18 11 50             129
Laser 185984 Sarah Edwards   50 10 50 20             130
S683 Stephen Driver   50 28 50 12             140
Laser 2 David Goringe   50 28 13 50             141
Laser 4 Martin Woolney   50 28 50 20             148
Lark 2088 Neil Fairplay Beverley Fairplay 50 28 21 50             149
Firefly 3615 Jamie McEwen Georgie Sutcliffe 50 50 50 1             151
M3690 Andy Dalby Fran Gifford 50 2 50 50             152
Laser 4 Fran Gifford   8 50 50 50             158
L156335 Phil Plumtree   9 50 50 50             159
Laser 3 Cyrille Vanleberghe   14 50 50 50             164
Laser 147087 Renato Hildago   50 17 50 50             167
S 4159 Jeremy Kahn   18 50 50 50             168
Laser 115503 John Houghton   50 20 50 50             170
Laser 186632 Rachel Morris   50 21 50 50             171
S2332 Danny Golden   50 28 50 50             178

 

Results 2009

Sail No         HELM Race 1 Race 2 Race 3 Race 4 Race 5 Race 6 Race 7 Race 8 Race 9 Total
S3683 M Gifford 2 2 1 50 50 50 1 50 3 9
Laser/solo C Edwards 3 1 3 6 50 3 50 50 1 11
M3073 C Whitehouse 50 50 2 8 2 50 4 1 2 11
Laser J Driver 50 4 10 5 5 50 5 3 11 22
M3288 F Gifford 1 11 50 1 7 50 50 2 50 22
L193184 T Stolper 6 50 5 3 4 6 50 50 10 24
L4 C Gould 12 7 6 11 11 19 12 50 4 39
Laser D Evans 50 50 29 4 3 2 3 50 50 41
E20588 A Munro Faure 11 8 11 13 8 50 50 4 17 42
L14707 Ade Bustos 15 3 9 50 50 9 11 50 50 47
L5 L Kolff 9 50 29 14 12 8 7 50 50 50
M3500 M Wollny 7 16 13 18 28 19 9 50 9 54
LR128848 S Bennett 24 13 22 32 28 50 15 7 13 70
L108826 D Henderson 14 50 18 22 50 19 16 6 50 73
L83583 N Edwards 5 50 8 7 50 50 6 50 50 76
S3150 R Nelson 50 19 23 16 13 50 50 5 50 76
L  S Edwards 50 50 4 12 6 50 50 50 5 77
 Laser M Shenk 50 50 7 50 50 7 8 50 7 79
L3 J Reed 8 6 50 50 50 19 2 50 50 85
LR5409 R Hildago 16 50 15 21 28 50 17 50 50 97
Lark A Britten 50 50 50 20 28 19 13 50 17 97
Firefly J McEwen 50 50 50 2 1 1 50 50 50 104
L1 P Coward 12 14 17 17 50 50 50 50 50 110
Laser P Shucksmith 50 50 50 19 10 19 50 15 50 113
Laser C Vanlerberghe 50 50 50 23 28 50 50 8 12 121
N12 T Hayhoe 50 50 50 9 9 19 50 50 50 137
Ent J Kahn 50 19 50 32 28 50 23 50 50 152
L171760 R Jarvis 50 12 50 50 28 50 18 50 50 158
M3073 N Price 3 9 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 162
Solo J Mackay 50 50 50 50 50 50 10 50 6 166
LR147087 J Browning 17 5 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 172
Laser/Solo G Marshall 50 50 14 32 28 50 50 50 50 174
Solo A Hobbs 50 50 50 50 50 4 23 50 50 177
M 1993 N Barnet 10 50 50 50 50 19 50 50 50 179
Laser J Phare 50 10 21 50 50 50 50 50 50 181
Merlin/Solo A Boustra 50 50 29 25 28 50 50 50 50 182
Laser G Brougham 50 50 50 50 50 50 23 9 50 182
S356 D Knight 18 50 16 50 50 50 50 50 50 184
L115503 J Houghton 50 50 50 50 28 50 50 50 8 186
Laser S North 50 50 50 10 28 50 50 50 50 188
L13631 R Tolkien 24 50 50 15 50 50 50 50 50 189
L S Arbuthnot 50 50 50 50 50 5 50 50 50 205
S683 D Howard 24 50 50 32 50 50 50 50 50 206
 Laser D Homes 50 50 12 50 50 50 50 50 50 212
Laser A Murdoch 50 50 50 50 50 50 14 50 50 214
Laser Maciek 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 15 50 215
Laser A Galbraith 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 15 50 215
Solo D Long 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 15 50 215
Laser G D'Amico 50 50 19 50 50 50 50 50 50 219
  T Weinburge 50 50 20 50 50 50 50 50 50 220
L2 M Ampleford 24 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 224
Merlin B Harrison 50 50 50 24 50 50 50 50 50 224
L141370 D Sutcliffe 50 50 50 50 28 50 50 50 50 228
Solo M Tadeusz 50 50 50 50 28 50 50 50 50 228
Solo A Harris 50 50 29 50 50 50 50 50 50 229
Solo P James 50 50 50 32 50 50 50 50 50 232

London Mid-Week Series Race 5 - 30/6/2009

A few seconds after the start, Martin and Paula Wollny had just decided that the wind was too light and shifty for the spinny when their Merlin suddenly went on a mad plane. Most delighted by this new experience but intrigued nevertheless, the Merlin crew started to enquire the reasons for the unexpected additional boat speed. After discarding a vertical gust from the Fulham Stadium and a tidal wave, further inspection revealed additional propulsion from a rowing eight who had poked his bow through the Wollny's transom flap. That obviously was bad news. Firstly, paddling after the start would lead to disqualification, secondly there is no PY handicap for a Merlin with a crew of 11 (including an incapable cox), and finally short tacking against the tide would likely become more difficult with a hull that had more than trebled in length. But getting rid off the extra propulsion turned out to be a major problem. Despite much pushing and shouting the rowing boat remained tightly stuck in the Merlin's transom flap and in the end there was no other choice but call in the safety boat to help tow ashore the unusual looking and slowly sinking craft.

After this entertaining start, the race continued with other challenges. On the way back from the Mile Post to Putney, short tacking in light conditions with 180 degree wind shifts and against the tide led to the occasional expression of frustration. And a recent sewerage overrun made conditions even tougher: A perfectly executed roll-tack around a floating dead rat was THE opportunity to prove just how much the 26 competitors loved dinghy sailing on the river! On the positive side the disgust of cleaning the rudder from plastic bags and other floating niceties was immediately rewarded with a significant gain in boat speed....

The fleet quickly spread out with Chris Whitehouse leading in his Lark after one lap, followed by David Evans and Joe Driver on Lasers. In the second lap the Stolpers had moved their Merlin into third place, having found more wind further out in river. In the final stages of the race Chris Whitehouse briefly lost the lead but quickly recovered to to cross the line in first place.

6 minutes after the leading boat, Jamie McEwen crossed the line in 5th place in his Firefly, enough to win the race on handicap ahead of Chris Whitehouse in his Lark. David Evans was third over the line and on handicap, pushing the Stolpers back to fourth on corrected time. After battling for most of the race in their Lasers the fight for 5th was finally won by Joe Driver finishing only 6 seconds ahead of Sarah Edwards.

 

Race 1 Photos
       
        Prestart                     Winners Fran Gifford/Susannah              Leeward mark lap 1                  Start of lap 2                        Lap1                   


Michael John Gifford in his Solo Plum, who has an unassailable lead in the series after 6 races with 4 wins

London Midweek Series 2008 – Race 7 – 8th Aug 2008 – Final Race of 2008 Series

The 7th and final race of the 2008 open midweek evening series saw 16 Merlins, Solos and Lasers greeted by light NNW winds at Putney.  With an upriver start towards Fulham football ground the Merlins of Fran Gifford and then Andy Harris rounded the windward mark just ahead of the lasers of Nigel Edwards and Phil Plumtree.  The next leg required intense concentration to beat a strong tide on the leg back towards Putney Bridge. Fran’s took her Merlin ahead up the Fulham side while Andy Harris headed over to the Putney side of the river in second.  Nigel and Phil in their lasers were then joined by Dave and Charlotte Evans in a Merlin for a neck-and-neck battle for the 45 minutes it took to reach and beat to second mark during which those leading 5 pulled out a considerable lead over the rest of the fleet including series leader Michael Gifford.  The top 5 maintained their positions and grew their lead through the second lap, eventually followed home by the rest of the fleet as dusk fell and the lure of beer, pizza and prize-giving enticed them back through the finishing line at Ranelagh.  The race left the overall series result unchanged with a well-deserved victory for Michael John Gifford (Solo), Chris Whitehouse (Merlin) in second, Dan Watson (Merlin/Laser/Lark) third,  Fran Gifford fourth and Dave Evans and Nigel Edwards tied for 5th place.  Prizes were presented to the series and class winners and by the end of another great social evening in the bar at Ranelagh most competitors were splendidly adorned with their 2008 LMS Series T-shirts.  Additional helms have already indicated their intention to participate in 2009 when Ranelagh will play host to more than the 30 or so crews who’ve enjoyed this inaugural open summer evening series of competitive racing on the Thames.

 Top Results LMS Race 7:      

1st        Fran Gifford
2nd      Andy Harris
3rd        Nigel Edwards
4th        Phil Plumtree
5th        David Evans


Series winner Michael John Gifford with the Chas Newens Clock

Sail No Helm Race 1 Race 2 race 3 Race 4 Race 5 Race 6 Race 7 Points
Solo 3683 Michael John Gifford 1 1 1 2 1 50 17 4
Merlin 3504 Chris Whitehouse / Dan Watson/Ellie Bremer 2 3 2 1 3 50 50 8
Merlin/Lark Dan Watson 2 3 2 11 3 2 50 9
Merlin 1993 Fran Gifford / Andy Dalby /Alex Jackson 5 2 14 50 2 50 1 10
Laser 92171/Merlin1993 David Evans 50 7 4 8 4 3 5 16
Laser 83586 Nigel Edwards 3 5 50 14 7 5 3 16
Laser 107710 Phil Plumtree 6 17 6 6 5 4 4 19
Solo 356 Liam Dempsey 4 9 5 5 50 50 50 23
Laser 48151/ Merlin 3288 Christopher Edwards 9 4 11 10 50 1 50 24
Solo 2332 Christopher Gould 50 50 8 7 11 7 17 33
Laser 193184 Thomas Stolper 10 50 50 17 10 6 8 34