Race Report - Sunday Feb 13th, the WWU Half Way Point...

Despite its reputation as a light/moderate winds venue, Datchet served up great big slabs of fizzling breeze for the second weekend in a row. We had 18 gusting 28 for the start of proceedings..... This weekend marked the half way point in the 8 race Winter Warm Up Event and additionally the home boats were racing for the "Sunday 13th" Cup. We had some pretty close and exciting finishes today with just a few seconds between several of the placings. Eleven boats at the slipway though only 8 got to the start. Dave Nicholls, who snapped his boom is last week's howler, found himself with a boom but uninsured as of yesterday... and wisely decided not to risk it. Richard and Howard headed for home, and Richard was promptly as sick as a dog - a good call... At 28 minutes to go, Charles said, "I'd better go and pop the mast in" ... He is such a scream!... However, a slow queue of cats on the jetty (why cant they launch to their handicap!) put paid to his hopes of making at least race one, and he's not shown in the results for race two either. (Did you sign on, Charles?!!!) So then there were 8... Vice Cap'n 'Anson was teamed up with David Stenson, and Mervyn teamed up with Midnight Rog.

The gusts looked terrific for the first couple of legs on race one. Brett/Jonathan rounded the top mark in tight company with Ian/Kevin and Mark/Tony. The fleet promptly shot off down the first, rather broad reach. It was a drop at the wing mark and a two sail job across to the committee boat area. As last week, Brett/Jonathan proved dominant and led the fleet home - but not by much. At the finish, Ian/Kevin were only 13 seconds adrift with Mark/Tony only ten seconds behind them. The Humes were next over, followed by John/David and The Russians.

The next race got to look pretty similar, but Matt/Gareth (8th in race one!) stormed up into third making Mark and Tony's day, pushing them into fourth by 9 seconds. The Humes were next, 11 seconds ahead of The Russians. Then John/David rolled up just 17 seconds behind them. Mervyn and Roger didn't score in this one. Mark and Tony get to win the "Sunday 13th" Cup - which just means yet more silver for Tony to polish up!!

So we are half way through the 8 race series - how do things stand?? Showing one discard at the moment, Brett is way out front. After a brilliant first weekend, The Humes are second with 8 points, but just 1 point ahead of Mark and Tony. In fourth we have John and Helen with 14 points, but they are only two points ahead of Matt and Gareth. Ian and Kevin have used their discards in skipping the first weekend, but keep an eye on them as they picked up just 4 points today. Everything to race for in the second half....

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