Eleven Merlin Rockets from all corners of the country arrived at Oulton Broad for the annual Silver Tiller double header, racing at Oulton on Saturday and moving down to Lowestoft on Sunday.

Eleven Merlin Rockets from all corners of the country arrived at Oulton Broad for the annual Silver Tiller double header, racing at Oulton on Saturday and moving down to Lowestoft on Sunday.

Numbers were down on previous years because of the closeness to the Class Championship, which was just a week earlier, but there were a lot of quality helmsmen.

With the sun shining and a good north westerly breeze, conditions were ideal, with plenty of opportunity to overtake on the windward legs.

Richard Whitworth and Nicola Brook from Hollingworth Lake in Lancashire, were convincing winners of all three races and the overall event. Second overall were David Winder and Pippa Taylor, also from Hollingworth Lake, with a second and two thirds, with long- time visitor Will Rainey third from Cookham Reach on the Thames.

Sailing conditions were even better on Sunday, with a fresh breeze blowing straight down the Broad giving long runs and beats. There was little difference on corrected time between the two National 12s sailed by Andy Jarvis and Julian Hood and the leading Laser of Alan Cone, who easily beat the RS600, which finished in the lead in the Fast Handicap race.

Tim Barrett led the BODs for two and a half rounds and three and a half minutes until Nick Truman passed him on the last run and held on to the finish with Richard Dell third.

David Hannant led the Squibs from start to finish although Denise Sinclair was never far behind with Vince Meadows third.

Neil and Dee Bowles continued on their almost unbeatable form in the Waveneys as they beat Lenny Balls and Jack Pickering.

Eleven Lasers contested the class race and Alan Cone had a good win from Simon Marfleet.

The conditions were very much to the liking of the Squibs in the Mixed Keel race and Hannant again got the best start to lead at the first mark and pull away to win by three and a half minutes from Neil Bowles. Gus Sinclair took his mother's place at the helm of her Squib to gain a very creditable third, just passing Trevor Balls near the end of the race.

Results

Oulton Broad, Saturday - Merlin Open (11) Race 1: Filthy Gorgeous (Richard Whitworth); Jely Baby (Will Rainey); Attack of the Clones (David Winder). Race 2: Filthy Gorgeous; Snorber; Attack of the Clones; Race 3: Filthy Gorgeous; Attack of the Cones; Gangsta Paradise (Dan Alsop).

Fast Handicap 1 (7): Red Snapper (Andy Jarvis); The Other Woman (Alan Cone); Buzz (Richard Smith).

BODs (4): Spoonbill (Nick Truman); Surf Scooter (David Leech); Greyling (Judith Butters).

Waveneys (5): Samphire (George Gower); Marsh Thistle (Jack Pickering); Creeping Jenny (Lenny Balls).

Fast Handicap 2 (7): Buzz; Red Snapper; The Other Woman. Mixed Keels (5) Thalia (Neil Bowles); Samphire; Marsh Thistle.

Sunday - Fast Handicap 1 (14): Red Snapper; The Other Woman; Grey Matter (Julian Hood).

BODs (4): Spoonbill; No 83 (Tim Barrett); Solan (Richard Dell). Squibs (4) Supertoy (David Hannant); Slinky (Denise Sinclair); Quackers (Vince Meadows).

Waveneys (10): Thalia; Creeping Jenny; Marsh Thistle. Lasers (11) The Other Woman; Passing Wind (Simon Marfleet); No 152511.

Fast Handicap 2 (3): Grey Matter; Red Snapper.

Mixed Keels (10): Supertoy; Thalia; Slinky (Gus Sinclair).