The Winter Warm Up Kicks Off- Race Report....

What a fantastic sail !! We had an encouraging forecast of 16 gusting 30, but on the day it was 22-28 gusting 35 - what a blast ! Some of those reaches were screamers - the spinnaker legs were a little broad, but the two sail reach was a real corker - perhaps near terminal velocity in some of the gusts. You know, when the boat goes super light and your eyes are closed with the spray and you start to wonder...

We had a great turnout of 11 boats, almost half the Club total Fleet. Yet we had notable absentees too - Ian Linder and Kevin Sweetman, Mervyn Wright and James Curtiss, and Charles had said he would try to make it, but in the event was not with us. Mike Firth and Phil Tinsley are on Safaris, of course....Extra visitors turned out in the shape of Brett Dingwall and Jonathan Clark, Dave Nicholls and Steve Ward, and Matt Glasgow and Gareth Brown. For our no-shows, they should note that it is 6 out of 8 to count, so you can still race from next weekend with a chance!!!

The PRO laid a great first leg the length of the reservoir and in race 1 the fleet were clean out of the gate on a pretty square line. We all converged on the weather mark in something of a pack - Richard and Howard approached on an 'Apthorp', but lost several places on the turn. Brett and The Humes set a scorching pace. Given their weight I thought for the day as a whole, Dominic and David deserved the "Men of the Match" award. They sailed like their trousers were on fire. Dave Nicholls had to retire - there was a very loud bang aboard their boat followed by a rapid main drop. Also recording a DNF were Andrew and Matt - not sure what happened there. Matt and Gareth sailed the first race with flair but were seen heading for the jetty before race 2 started. In the end, Brett took race one, from The Humes, and Mark and Tony took third.

The Flying Fifteens had the privilege of being the first in the sequence for race 2, catching Brett completely by surprise. Rather typically he found himself on exactly the right spot with the fleet charging towards him, and shot clear of the line - and was never seen again. Dom and Non-Dom, setting 1998 vintage sails really sailed well. They overtook Richard and Howard at the end of the sausage run, then went on to scream past Mark and Tony too. At the end, it was Brett again, then The Humes, followed by Mark and Tony. "Promising Team Award" for the day must go to the Stensons, I reckon - great pace aboard 3632.

To see the full results, click on the "Last Sunday's Results" photo to the right of this page.....