Sunday 19th April Spring Series – Race 5

Sunday saw 13 boats turn out in shifty light to moderate northly wind just enough to be fully hiked and planing on occasions. Ron was off first followed by Aileen and Karen. Then three Solos, lasers and Mark’s Aero. Ron was well away before the others started. Karen lead the comet pursuit. Newton got the best of the Solo starts from the favoured port end of the line, and lead the Solos at the first mark followed by Steve. Down the second leg Steve was surprised that he had been quickly caught by Ralph. It transpired Ralph had taken a short cut having missed out the first mark. Ralph’s concentration was a bit sub optimal, suffering a little from a sore head, not this time from his head and boom sharing the same time and space but from a night out on the town. Anyway he returned to round the mark. Ahead Newton was catching Aileen and past her at the start of the 2nd lap when found a better wind shift. Karen in the meantime had past Ron. Newton then caught and past Ron downwind to 9 but lost steerage when sailing by the lee and hit the mark. This was keenly pointed out by Ron who retook 2nd as Newton did his turn, but this was short lived. In the meantime Steve had past Aileen for 4th. Newton continued to gain on Karen ahead but time ran out. At the gun it was Karen, Newton, Ron.

Steve and Ralph initially got a good start out of the middle of the line, whilst Karen, Mark and Newton battled each other for clear air at the favoured port end. However half way up the beat Steve and Ralph sailed into a bit of a hole and Mark, Karen and Newton sailed over the top. At the windward mark it was Mark, Newton and Karen. At the second mark, Mark was just ahead of Newton then Karen, but up the next windward leg Newton out pointed Mark and past him. At the end of the first lap it was Newton, then James who had fought his way up, Karen, Steve. Over the following laps James Karen Mark and Steve battled it out whilst Newton pulled away at the front to over 1.5 mins ahead of James at the end who had in turn managed to pull away from the group behind. At the finish line it was Newton, James, Mark, Karen. On Handicap 1st Newton just 3 sec ahead of Karen, 3rd James.