A Friendly Tiger?

More than 70 boats are entered for this weekend’s John Merricks Tiger Trophy at Rutland Sailing Club. After a season that has dogged the events in the Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series with either next-to-no-wind or Storm This-That-or-the-Other, event #8 looks like it might actually get some decent breeze.

 

Many of the usual suspects have already signed up, including multi-champions Nick Craig in his Finn and current Series leaders, Tom Gillard and Rachael Gray in their Scorpion. As usual, Olympic medallist David Wilkins will head up a crack team of race officials and is running back-to-back handicap racing on Saturday and the Pursuit Race on Sunday morning.

 

After racing on Saturday, there will be a racing debrief by super-coach Simon Horsfield (see below), as well as Six Nations Rugby on the big screen in the club (Ireland v England at 1645 hours) and then the legendary Tiger Dinner (Bangers & Mash, a John Merricks favourite) in the evening.

 

If you fancy signing up for one of the big winter classics on one of the most beautiful stretches of water in the heart of England, sign up here for the Tiger...

 

www.sailjuiceseries.com

 

 

Here’s a round-up of the standings so far across the various categories in the Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series...

 

There are now 320 boats with a ranking,  and different winners across all six events completed so far. 

 

After their win at Draycote Water,  Tom Gillard and Rachael Gray hit the top spot in their Scorpion. In addition to Gillard & Gray,  some top names and class champions are waiting to pounce from further down the rankings, with two events recorded but with the opportunity still to hit the top of the leaderboard, eg.

 

19 Ben Flower, RS Aero 9, Paignton SC

20 Simon Hawkes, K1 Castle Cove SC

21 Nick Craig, Finn, Burghfield SC

22 Peter Gray and Richard Pepperdine, Fireball, Staunton Harold SC

https://enter.sailracer.org/eventsites/content.asp?id=50608&eventid=226008

 

RS200s hold onto the top spot, but the ILCA 7s and ILCA 6s are closing the gap...

https://enter.sailracer.org/eventsites/content.asp?id=50614&eventid=226008

 

For boats 20 years or older.  Paul Young is still at top,  but Norfolk Punt catching after their Magic Marine Gallop Win and a top 20 at GJW Direct Bloody Mary...

https://enter.sailracer.org/eventsites/results_mainp.asp?eventid=226008&templ=226008&classtype=Old-Boats

 

Top Lady

The Ladies are having a good winter, particularly Jess Powell (ILCA 4),  Megan Pascoe (2.4 mR) and with lady crews winning at three events -  Charlie Cotter (GP14),  Sophie Mackley (Merlin) and Rach Gray (Scorpion),  respectively at Chase,  Grafham and Draycote.  Overall it’s Bartley SC’s Sophie Forbes (Topper) who still leads the Ladies...

https://enter.sailracer.org/eventsites/results_mainp.asp?eventid=226008&templ=226008&classtype=Female

 

Sophie Forbes (Topper) also holds a good lead in the Youth rankings...

https://enter.sailracer.org/eventsites/results_mainp.asp?eventid=226008&templ=226008&classtype=Youth

 

 

19-30

Ben Flower leads in his ILCA 7...

https://enter.sailracer.org/eventsites/results_mainp.asp?eventid=226008&templ=226008&classtype=19-30

 

31-60

Tom Gillard and Rachael Gray lead this category as well as overall...

https://enter.sailracer.org/eventsites/results_mainp.asp?eventid=226008&templ=226008&classtype=31-60

 

Masters

Paul Young in his Enterprise again!

https://enter.sailracer.org/eventsites/results_mainp.asp?eventid=226008&templ=226008&classtype=Masters

 

Lying in 2nd overall, father and son duo, Roger and Iain Blake in their Osprey are dominating the GBSC Fast Symmetric rankings...

https://enter.sailracer.org/eventsites/results_mainp.asp?eventid=226008&templ=226008&classtype=FastS

 

Nigel and Aaron Davis are leading in their RS500...

https://enter.sailracer.org/eventsites/results_mainp.asp?eventid=226008&templ=226008&classtype=FastA

 

With over 200 entries the biggest group by far, Gillard and Gray top the group in their Scorpion...

https://enter.sailracer.org/eventsites/results_mainp.asp?eventid=226008&templ=226008&classtype=SLowS

 

Series regular Luke Fisher (RS Vareo), keeps ahead of a big RS200 fleet

https://enter.sailracer.org/eventsites/results_mainp.asp?eventid=226008&templ=226008&classtype=SLowA

 

 

Three-time winner of the Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series, Simon Horsfield is running an online briefing on Thursday, 30 January, at 21:00 hours. Simon will be looking forward to what’s in store at Rutland this weekend, and will be joined by principal race officer David Wilkins.

WhatsApp Group

https://chat.whatsapp.com/KFlRWkTrhxpDMkqcJbanWR

 

GJW Direct sponsored Coaching Briefing by sailing coach and multiple champion Simon Horsfield...

https://www.facebook.com/SeldenSailJuiceWinterSeries/videos

 

 

Enter the Tiger

 

The John Merricks Tiger Trophy at Rutland Sailing Club, is taking place this weekend on 1 & 2 February 2025.

 

 

www.sailjuiceseries.com

 

 

 

 

THE EVENTS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can find out more about the Series here: www.SailJuiceSeries.com

 

Photo Credits: Tim Olin

 

 

Notes to editors:

 

 

Previous winners of the Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series

 

2023/24 Sam Pascoe (Musto Skiff)

2022/23 Peter Gray & Geoff Edwards (Osprey)

2021/22 Roger Gilbert & Ben McGrane (505)

2020/21 Simon Horsfield & Katie Burridge/ Natalie Johnson (2000)

2019/20 Simon Horsfield & Katie Burridge (2000)

 

2018/19 Simon Horsfield & Katie Burridge (2000)

2017/18 Alistair Goodwin (Laser)

2016/17 Matt Mee & Emma Norris (RS200)

2015/16 Ian Dobson & Andy Tunnicliffe (GP14)

2014/15 Nick Craig & various crews (Merlin Rocket)

 

2013/14 Michael Sims (Solo)

2012/13 Tom Gillard & Simon Potts (Fireball)

2011/12 Peter Gray & Rachael Rhodes (Scorpion)

2010/11 Andy Peake (Musto Skiff)

2009/10 Olly Turner & Richard Whitworth (Merlin Rocket)

 

 

SailJuice.com is the ‘how to sail and race faster’ website, with hundreds of articles and exclusive interviews with National, World and Olympic Champions. Professional sailing journalist and editor of SailJuice.com, Andy Rice, came up with the concept of the SailJuice Winter Series (originally known as the SailJuice Global Warm-Up) as a way of increasing participation levels in dinghy racing during the off-season in the UK.

 

SailRacer manages event websites and processes online entry for major National, International, Youth and training events, providing online scoring, analysis and advanced sports presentation including GPS tracking and live video.

 

Seldén Mast Ltd is the world leader in dinghy spars. More races are won by Seldén Spars than any other brand. Dinghy spars are made using Seldén unique XPS aluminium with CNC cut tapers, automated welding and heat treating resulting in the highest quality and most consistent dinghy spars available. Seldén also produces about 400 carbon masts per year for boats including high performance dinghies and race yachts using state of the art Mandrel Filament Moulding Technology.

GJW Direct Insurance provides you with comprehensive cover for your dinghy with instant quotes available online. Our self-service portal allows you to manage your policy online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Offering new for old policies, cover for your kit, rapid online claims settlement and refund of entry fees if the event is cancelled and expert knowledge to assist you back onto the water quickly. Subject to exclusions and limitations, for the full dinghy insurance policy wording, please read here...

https://www.gjwdirect.com/policy-documents/