Commodore’s Cup Race 3 – 28th April 2021

The weather tonight was dreadful with heavy rain and a very light wind from the NNE. The race team led by Rick reluctantly agreed that it would have to be a CB start, so there was no hope of them keeping dry! Surprisingly, there were 10 starters, but we managed to keep them out there for four laps, (although they were very short laps). Rick set the start near the buoy line between 4 and 5 and the first beat to A (offshore of the model boat buoys), then up to to 5, 9, B (middle of the lake just NW of Ttektona) and back through the start.

The fleet was closely packed at the end of the first lap with Dean & Nick (Vago) leading from Newton (Solo) and Karen and Ralph in Lasers. Chris (Comet) was through in 5^th place followed by Darren and Mark (Lasers) with Sally (Comet) only 30 seconds behind them with Emily (4.7) and Phoebe (Oppie) slightly further back.

The wind kept picking up and then dropping again so there was a fair amount of the elastic band effect, depending on when and where the boats caught the lifts. By the end of the second lap Karen had taken the lead with Newton still in 2^nd place with Darren moving up to 3^rd and Dean & Nick down to 4^th.  Mark was up to 5^th shuffling Ralph and Chris down and Sally, Emily and Phoebe maintained station.

No change with the leading two on the third lap, but Dean & Nick regained a place to move up to 3^rd. The Lasers behind were swapping places with Ralph back up and Darren and Mark down a place. Chris and Sally were steady in 7^th and 8^th places (although Sally had closed the gap) and in the light winds were staying in touch of the boats ahead. Emily and Phoebe were not losing ground (or water) either and Phoebe was given the gun at the end of the lap.

The rain was still pouring down and it was not getting any warmer, so leader Karen was given the hooter as she crossed the line at the end of the fourth lap. The only changes in position behind her were Ralph and Mark both gaining a place, making the final order –

1^st Karen; 2^nd Newton; 3^rd Dean & Nick; 4^th Ralph; 5^th Mark; 6^th Darren.

On corrected time this becomes –

1^st Newton; 2^nd Chris; 3^rd Karen; 4^th Sally; 5^th Phoebe; 6^th Dean & Nick

Thanks to SOOD Rick and the team of Aileen, Angus and Mike A, who suffered the cold and wet sitting out in the safety boats (apart from Angus who seems to be impervious to the weather!)