A moderate breeze for the GJW Direct Bloody Mary
by Andy Rice 4 Jan 04:09 NZDT
6 January 2024
After a windy first few events in the Seldén SailJuice Winter Series, Event No.5 - the GJW Direct Bloody Mary - is looking like it will be light to moderate breeze this Saturday...
Will this weekend be the chance for the non-trapeze boats to shine at the GJW Direct Bloody Mary? After an incredibly breezy end of 2023 and four windy events to open the Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series, the worst of Storms Gerrit and Henk appear to be behind us as we head towards this Saturday's legendary pursuit race in West London.
More than 120 boats are already entered in almost 50 different classes, and online entry closes at midnight tonight, 3 January. It's a big day out for competitors and spectators, with the added incentive of a hog roast after racing, by catering team Claire Cooks Surrey.
Meanwhile here's an update of the Series so far, after four events at the end of 2023...
Overall Rankings
After four events, 256 boats have achieved rankings. Ben Flower (ILCA 7 - Paignton SC), is the first to qualify with four results and tops the overall leaderboard. Ben was last winter's runner-up and will be looking to go one better. Sam Pascoe (Musto Skiff - Castle Cove SC), winner of three events, moves up two places to second overall. Another previous Series runner-up, Luke Fisher (RS Vareo - Emberton Park SC), jumps 13 places to third overall.
Full ranking here...
Top Class
There are now 65 classes that have competed across the first four events. ILCA 7s were just ahead of the RS400s at the Brass Monkey, Musto Skiffs dominated the Grafham GP with four boats competing. Overall, ILCA 7s hang on to the top spot, followed by RS200s, and Musto Skiffs up two places to third overall. Top Class rankings based on the best three results for each class across every race.
Top Class ranking here...
Top Club
109 sailing clubs have been represented across the first four events. Yorkshire Dales SC was the dominant club at their home event, the Brass Monkey, similarly, Grafham was the Top Club for the Grand Prix. Overall Draycote jumped one place to take the lead, and Burghfield up two places to second overall. Castle Cove, who have been number one from the first event, slip back two places to third overall.
Top Club ranking here...
Great British Sailing Challenge (GBSC) Rankings
Based on extracted results for various GBSC ranking categories, across every race with a discard per every three races:
Seldén Sticker competition winners
Here are the winners of the Seldén goodies for getting their bow sticker spotted by Series photographer Tim Olin's camera...
Yorkshire Dales Brass Monkey
RS Feva XL - Mia Hateley & Mona Nygård, South Staffs SC
Grafham Grand Prix
Lark - Olly Saunders & Zara Frankton, Shustoke SC
THIS SATURDAY: THE BLOODY MARY
Sign up to the GJW Direct Bloody Mary and the other events in the Series...
www.SailJuiceSeries.com
THE EVENTS
The following events are in the Seldén SailJuice Winter Series 2023/24:
- Fernhurst Books Draycote Dash, Draycote Water Sailing Club
18 & 19 November 2023
- Datchet Flyer, Datchet Water Sailing Club
9 & 10 December 2023
- Yorkshire Dales Brass Monkey, Yorkshire Dales Sailing Club
27 December 2023
- Gill Grafham Grand Prix, Grafham Water Sailing Club
30 December 2023
- GJW Direct Bloody Mary, Queen Mary Sailing Club
6 January 2024
- King George Gallop, King George Sailing Club
20 January 2024
- John Merricks Tiger Trophy, Rutland Sailing Club
3 & 4 February 2024
- Oxford Blue, Oxford Sailing Club
17 February 2024
- Prizegiving at RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show, Farnborough
24 February 2024
You can find out more about the Series here: www.SailJuiceSeries.com