Newman top again

Phil Newman regained HDRC (Humpty Dumpty Radio Club) Burnham’s ‘It’s Not A Toy’ trophy at Blackwater Sailing Club on Saturday to maintain his dominance in south-east Essex area of RC Laser racing.

His comfortable overall victory by 20 points over Nick Milton confirmed his position as the club’s No 1, a particularly impressive achievement considering Milton’s success this season at RC Laser Travellers’ Series level.

Newman becomes the first person to pick up three INAT trophies, all of which have come in a year that has seen him win two summer series. He is also the club’s reigning match-racing champion, and it will be intriguing to see if he can ruffle more unfamiliar feathers when HDRC stage the final RC Laser TT event of the season at Blackwater Sailing Club next month.

After a modest sixth in the first race, it was business as usual for Newman. Thereafter he was never out of the top two, while Milton jnr had his usual dogfight with father Ian.

The pair have rarely been separated by more than one point any event this year but on this occasion a slow start by Milton Snr put him on the back foot from the outset and a seventh in the penultimate race allowed his son to creep further ahead is normal.

Dave Witts, another who has supported the RC Laser TT circuit regularly this season, looks to have benefited from the experience, securing a best-ever fourth overall, including six top-three finishes.

Despite the splendid autumnal weather, the turnout for what was also the first event of the club’s Autumn Series was a disappointing ten boats. General gear failure reduced that number to six in race nine, with only seven boats competing in the last three races.

It must be hoped that numbers will improve before the TT event on Saturday, November 15.

It’s Not A Toy Trophy and Autumn Series Day 1 Results:

1st P Newman 12pts
2nd N Milton 32pts
3rd I Milton 35pts
4th D Witts 37pts
5th A Reynolds 46pts
6th A McIvor 62pts

By Ian Barratt