Spring Series 4 – 31st March 2019

Light winds this morning so Adrian set a short course of X, 5, 9, 4 and back though the start.

Pursuit race

There were 13 starters and at the end of the first lap Mike C & Sally (Leader) were leading ahead of Ellen & Newton (RS200) with Jon (Laser) in 3^rd place having just passed Nev & Mike in the second Leader out today. Simon (Blaze) was catching them fast followed by Bill in his K1.

At the gun the order was –

1^st Ellen & Newton; 2^nd Mike C & Sally; 3^rd Simon; 4^th Jon; 5^th Bill; 6^th Nev & Mike

Handicap Race

Everyone started the second race and at the end of the first lap Simon came through the line one minute ahead of Newton & Ellen, who were closely followed by Ralph (Laser) and Bill (K1). Then Jon and Rick both in Lasers crossed the line virtually together with Jon’s bow just ahead. Thirty seconds late Nev & Mike crossed in 7^th place with Dean & Nick (Vago), Gareth E (Laser) and Richard S (Laser) close behind them. Sally & Mike C were only ten seconds further back, but they were well ahead of Franz (Laser) and Emily (Topper).

On the second lap Simon doubled his lead and there was no change in the order of the next five boats, but Richards S gained three places to move up to 7^th place and Nev & Mike passed Gareth E to move up one place.

No change in the leading three at the end of the third lap, but Jon had moved up one place to 4^th by passing Bill. Nev & Mike passed Dean & Nick and Rick to move up to 6^th place, but no other changes in the right direction? Emily, the only young sailor out today, received the gun at the end of the lap.

On the fourth lap Jon moved up to 3rd place and Bill up to 4^th place at the expense of Ralph and everyone else maintained station.

At the end of the fifth and last lap (for nearly everyone) Simon was now six minutes ahead of second placed Newton & Ellen and he was so far ahead that Adrian sent him round for another lap in case he felt deprived of race time! Bill pipped Jon by one second for 3^rd place and Richard S got past Nev & Mike to take 6^th spot and Rick snatched 8^th place from Dean & Nick.

The final order on the water was –

1^st Simon; 2^nd Newton & Ellen; 3^rd Bill; 4^th Jon; 5^th Ralph; 6^th Richard S.

On corrected time, no change in the first two places, bur Nev & Mike take 3rdwithJon, Ralph and Richardkeeping their places.

Thanks to Adrian and the OOD Team of Gareth D, Issy, John W, Karen T and Ron.