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Nod Race 2024 at Overy Staithe Sailing Club
26 August 2024
Bank Holiday Monday typically brings heavy traffic, but members of Overy Staithe Sailing Club avoided the queues and parking fines by enjoying the club’s Nod Race instead.
This longer distance race takes sailors from Overy Harbour to the Nod Mark, located at the easternmost buoy in Brancaster Harbour. The course presents challenging conditions, as some sections of the creek are quite narrow, often leading to a long beat one way followed by a lengthy run back. Sailors generally hope for a southerly wind to maximize their reaching.
In this year’s Nod Race, participants encountered a pleasant southwesterly wind, blowing at 10 to 15 mph. The event served as a fundraiser, with proceeds benefiting the RNLI.
Race Officer Mark Beck set a course starting at the eastern edge of the harbour, with the Nod Mark to port and a quay finish. Junior sailors had a shorter course, marked by their own ‘Junior Nod Mark’ as the turning point.
The speed of returning fleets can often gauge the success of Nod Races, and this year’s event was swift, with the fleet finishing just minutes past the hour. Reports highlighted excellent planing conditions, with sailors beaming as they returned ashore—truly a delightful way to spend a Bank Holiday.
Top 10 results for the adult fleet were:
1st Ashley Deakin (Laser)
2nd Lucy Lamont (Laser 4.7)
3rd Alex Scoles (Europe)
4th Rodney Tidd (OK)
5th George Smith (Laser Radial)
6th Bernard Clark (OK)
7th Alex and Charlie Smith (Sharpie)
8th Sophia Hodges (Laser 4.7)
9th Spike Turner (OK)
10th Andrew Storer (Laser)
Top 3 Juniors (only 3 competed):
1st Theo Adams (Topper)
2nd Georgia Toosey (Pico)
3rd James Lamont/Hugo Hodges (Topper)
Source
Oliver Hayes, a seasoned sailor and marine journalist from Southampton, has a profound love for the sea that has shaped his career. Holding a degree in Marine Journalism from the University of Portsmouth, Oliver is celebrated for his compelling and insightful storytelling. His work vividly captures the excitement of sailing and the rich maritime heritage of the United Kingdom, making him a respected figure in the sailing community. When not writing, Oliver enjoys exploring the British Isles’ diverse coastlines and participating in local regattas, always on the lookout for his next nautical adventure.
