Day one of the Notts County Typhoon Grand Prix
Well this is the scene that most intrepid Ent yachters saw when they rolled(sped) down the dusty track 2 Notts County this mornin:

Things got better as the 1st race drew near, and around 28 Ents from across the country set out to do battle... The formal results/report will be published by a more accurate author at some point in the next couple of days, but this is me and James's quick account of the precedings...

So race 1, it was hot (weather) and just enough breeze, not so hot start or first beat and I'd hate to think where we were, wind was patchy and gusty, we managed to make a few places on the enxt couple of legs, then had a storming next beat to get back up to the lead pack - went right and played the shifts, although on paper I felt the wind was moving right and we shouldn't have gained, but I guess a lot has to be said for clear air, decent boat speed and chasing the shifts! So, if I remember rightly, Johnny Woodward finished 4th and we came in a pleasing 6th....

Race 2 better start, getting damn hot....glad i was greased up to the eyeballs in sunny-cream (bit slippy in the boat though)... and last years bandana just about stopped me scorching my balding nut! Good progress round the not overly impressive course, nothing too controversial happened, except at the rafts round the mark, hot weather bad tempers:-) last broad reach was damn interesting though! Scenario, 1st 3 fairly boats well clear, Johhny W, off chasing sunsets in the lead.... Me and 'J' are lying 6th by about 5 boat lengths, happy enough to be consistant, 1/2 way down the last broad reach and what happens??? Martin Honnor gets pissy withn th 5th placed boat and luffs the bugger.. and luffs a bit more....and a bit more... and just keeps on going... I tape the tiller in the central position aiming dead at the mark and we just keep truckingg 4 the mark, 4th/5th boats gybe and amble towards the last mark on starboard...we approach on port... collision course, Honnor has an overlap, but is going relatively slowly, we give him a bit o' water, he gybes, we harden up with a bit more power and pop out in front... laying the finish line, 6th -> 4th in 1/2 a beautiful leg... thanks Martin...

Race 3, wind still up and down, we get a good start, individual recall but not sure who... good first beat round the windward mark in the top 6, happy again (consistancy isnt a problem for us this year!), truck round the course, wind in the gust is a lot more respectable, pretty close racing, a few place changes, we manage to get past Gez up one of the beats 2 get into second, we have a nice gap on the last lap... get to the final gybe mark, wind dies, us and the leader park up and trickle on, Gez trucks down on his own personal bleedin' gust....we gybe round the mark V slowly in no breeze and Gez rounds with the momentum of the gust and glides past...arse... not happy, but sods law reigns... trundle on in 3rd place.... happy enough...

So, racing done, showered, boat to bed, beer on the table on Notts County veranda.... I left them to it tonight, Katie Dolling is looking after James...oh god what state will he be in tomorrow morning? James is on a promise to get some photos of the evenings merriment - if he remembers then they'll be up on here tomorrow!

Might but "take-away breakfast" tomorrow for me an James on the way 2 Notts - nothing like a greasy breakfast burger to wake a hungover crew in the morning and to kick start my ass into some more good results...

James rang a few hours after I left, right in the middle of me reading a Thomas the Tank Engine story to Rowan & Flynn... really spoilt the flow, but i'll forgive him - apparently Johnny is overnight leader and were in 4th, not too shabby as James would say.... not a bad day @ the office as I would say....
Time for a kip now... hope James makes it to his tent, or at least someones! wonder who won the Typhoon goodies tonight?

[Listening to: Don't Fight It, Feel It - Primal Scream - Screamadelica (06:54)]