25 August Bank Holiday Monday Lex Cup
This year it was decided to hold two short races. The first was to be a 50 minute pursuit race followed by a short handicap race of approximately 45 minutes.
It was difficult to tell which direction (if any) the wind was coming from and Keith R had a difficult job of setting any course in these conditions. The rain was pouring down and only a hardy few had turned up or should that be only a foolhardy few turned up. Sally & Mike, David C and Mike C decided they were wet enough as it was, without going out on the water at all, so only nine amphibians ventured forth.
In fact there has been a proposal to rename the Lex Cup to St Crispin’s Cup –
“We few, we happy few, we band of brothers – for he today that soaks his boat with me shall be my brother, he ne’er so wet this day shall fiddle his position and gentlemen in England now a-bed shall think themselves preserved they were not here and fold their mack hoods neat while any speaks that floats with us upon St Crispin’s Day.
Hadey had the unenviable task of starting first in her 4.7, which gave everyone else the advantage of seeing where the wind was not coming from !
At the end of the first lap Mike A (Lightning) crossed the line first, but Ian C (Supernova) who had started out last was nearly on him with Newton & Roz (Laser 2000) close behind. Hadey was in 4th with Curtis 5th, Dean 6th both in Lasers and Alistair S (Radial) 7th. Halfway through the lap it absolutely threw it down and Julian suddenly came to his senses and thought “What am I doing sitting in the middle of a lake, hardly moving and getting soaking wet” and wisely retired!
Halfway through the second lap the allotted time expired with Ian leading and Newton & Roz second. Curtis was just about to pass Mike for third place when he was foiled by the hooter. Dean finished fifth with Hadey sixth and Alistair seventh.
So immediately on to the second race which was a handicap, in more ways than one, with hardly any wind and visibility so poor in the driving rain that most took the start gun to be a fog horn!
Dean and Alistair thought “S** this for a game of soldiers” and declined to start.
Ian C crept away at the front, followed slowly by Mike A then Curtis, Newton & Roz and Hadey.
Keith thankfully brought this to an end after one lap with no change in the positions.
The final outcome is likely to be 1st Ian, 2nd Mike, 3rd Newton & Roz and double pneumonia all round !