15 July Gillette Series 15

 

Monica had a tricky job of setting a course with a very light NW wind. She used X as the first mark, straight out from the jetty then along the buoy line to 5P, 9S, 3P, 2P and back through the start.  
There were 17 starters and the actual start was from the flag pole to the pin positioned toward 8. There was a difference of opinion as to which end to start with more wind at the far end but the near end giving a better angle. In the end the near end boats got to X first.
Steve S, thought he would check out the first leg by sailing towards X before the start but then got caught out when he did not realise the time and when the 1 min gun went he was left with too far to return and had to fight his way back through the starting boats to the start line and ended up starting last. He then spent the rest of the race fighting his way through the fleet.
 
First to X was Karen (Laser) with Newton (Solo) right behind and then Roland & Ryan (National 12) and Ian C (Supernova). By the time the leaders approached 9 they were all side by side with Karen and Newton on starboard converging with Roland & Ryan and Ian on port this ended with gentle contact and Ian doing penalty turns. By the time they had got to 3 at the far end of the lake Newton had pulled clear of the other three boats and remained ahead to the end of the race. Curtis came through on his own in 5th place, but Sylvia (Laser), Steve S (Solo), Hugh (Laser) and Ellen (Radial) were very close together as they came through and Bob in another Solo was trying to catch them.. Paul H (Supernova) came through just ahead of Dave L (Laser) and Chris A (Solo). Next through was Chris M (Laser) who followed by the battle between Sally & Stuart (Leader) and Chris & Carol (Sport 14). David M (Laser) was battling on but finding the light wind challenging and he received a finish gun at the end of the first lap.
 
The race was finished for everyone at the end of the second lap and the leaders across the line were 1st Newton; 2nd Roland & Ryan; 3rd Ian C; 4th Karen; 5th Curtis; 6th Sylvia.
Most other boats maintained station on this lap, but Sally & Stuart made up two places and Chris & Carol decided to retire before the end of the lap.
 
Thanks to Monica and the OOD Team of Nick J, John and Jan M, Nigel J.