TNT Post North Traveller Series

  Background to the Flying 15 TNT Post North Traveller Series

The Traveller Series was launched for the 2007 season targeted at encouraging the smaller Flying Fifteen Fleets and assist them in developing and growing their own fleet numbers and activity. The Series was also intended to provide an introduction to open meeting sailing and to support each participating clubs open meetings.

In the first year five open meetings formed the Series. These were located in the North Midlands and North West/ North Wales area comprising Dovestone Sailing, Bala Sailing Club, Burton Sailing Club, Notts County Sailing Club and Carsington Sailing Club. As the event was targeted at regular local sailors and not the ‘hot shots’ from the fleet, the top fifteen ranked boats from the 2006 National Series were excluded from the results (but not the events themselves). The qualification requirements were not onerous with only two events to count. This would mean a minimum requirement of only one away visit in addition to the home open meeting.

To help boost interest and raise the standard, two training/coaching sessions were provided in conjunction with the Dovestone and Burton open meetings. This Series proved effective in achieving its goals with Dovestone and Burton Sailing Club particularly embracing the project and entries at each of the open meetings up on previous years.

The Series is sponsored by “TNT Post North” who provide superb prizes at the end of each programme.

For the 2008 Series it was felt that the event could be widened to include four more events, a total of eight - as Carsington dropped out for this year. The additional events were Bassenthwaite, Llangorse Sailing Club, Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club and Draycote Water. With the increased number of events qualification was increased to three.

A substantial number of boats took part in the Series. The change of format was not however a complete success. Due to the large geographical spread we found that there was no increase in travelling from the new clubs and it was noteworthy that Llangorse and Draycote already had strong fleets and well supported open meetings.

By increasing the number of events and the geographical area, the feeling of being part of a circuit in a group of friendly competitors was lost and the requirement for three events to qualify meant qualification was only achieved by the few teams fairly committed to open meeting sailing. The Series was however considered to be a qualified success with a total of 101 boats sailing.

For the 2009 Series the number of events was reduced to five, reverting to two open meeting qualification. This change to the format proved to be very successful with increased open meeting attendance at all the clubs, there was strong competition in each section of the fleet, with the Open and Silver Traveller Series winners not decided until the last event at Dovestone.

For 2010 it was therefore decided to run the same programme, this time including Ogston Sailing Club. However unfortunately Notts County were unable to hold an event this year, so the series was based on four events and the requirement for two events to be completed to qualify. This proved to be a very competitive year with many of the prizes not decided until the final event.

For 2011 a number of changes have been made. This year the Series will include the same four events as for 2010, Ogston, Bala, Burton, Dovestone. However, the events will now be run on the Aged Boat Handicap.

Another change is that where the programme permits, each club is encouraged to hold an additional race which will be a pursuit race and will not count towards the open meeting results. Pursuit racing based on the fleet PY’s should prove enjoyable and interesting. If enough clubs are able to host pursuit races, pursuit race prizes may be awarded at the final event.

We thank the organisers of the series, Chris Swallow and David McKee, for their continuing involvement and for the contribution of the sponsors TNT Post North through their representative, Flying Fifteen sailor Andy Goddard in making such an enjoyable and successful series.