Barnwell 4
Jane Anderson dominated the day’s racing. Her Laser Radial was first in the noon race and first in the afternoon, first on the water and on handicap, first over the start lines (near as dammit in the second race) and first to finish each lap raced. Twelve boats took the start of Barnwell 4 on another baking day of clouds and sun with enough wind to get the boats on the plane from time to time. Sue Murray (Laser Radial) and John Dabbs (Gull) were second and third at the start but at the first mark it was Paul Whybrow and Adam Hilton’s Solos that were trying to chase the Anderson Laser with the other Lasers close behind. Further back Vicki Duncalf ‘s Topper headed Toby Tobias’ Bosun with Roger Heasman closing on them at the second buoy. Heading up to Far Jane Anderson stretched her lead over Paul Whybrow and the fleet was then clearly divided in two. This division disappeared on the way back to the Dam, the boats arriving at Dam Green evenly spaced with Jane Anderson still leading Paul Whybrow and Vicki Duncalf still looking very competitive further down the field. Passing the clubhouse many boats had a burst of planing and the full-sailed Lasers of Graham Joyce and Nathan Pollard passed Paul Whybrow with Adam Hilton close behind and Sue Murray in their lee. During lap 2 Nathan Pollard moved into second place, with the Hilton Solo splitting the two Lasers and these positions held at the start of the final lap. Further back the Comber/Weller Enterprise had jumped up two places leaving the Bosuns of Toby Tobias and Brian Pollard/Cilla Gilbert scrapping behind them. Vicki Duncalf and John Dabbs had their own battle in the rear. Sue Murray overtook Adam Hilton on the last lap and just before the finish got past Graham Joyce. It wasn’t a day for the Full-sailed Lasers; the handicap took one down six places and the other seven!
- Jane Anderson (Laser Radial)
- Adam Hilton (Solo)
- John Dabbs (Gull)
- Vicki Duncalf (Topper)
- Sue Murray (Laser Radial)
- Paul Whybrow (Solo)
- Roger Heasman (Streaker)
- Nathan Pollard (Laser Full)
- Toby Tobias (Bosun)
- Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert (Bosun)
- Graham Joyce (Laser Full)
- Alan Comber and John Weller (Enterprise)
Tamar 7
The wind had picked up a little and lap times were down three minutes or so. The race officials changed the course so that the zig-zags in the middle of the Lake took place on the way back from Far rather than on the way to it. At the start Vicki Duncalf, Toby Tobias, Nathan Pollard and Jane Anderson were overlapping at the pontoon end of the line. Sue Murray, Paul Whybrow and Adam Hilton were scrambling to get the right side of the buoy at the other, having failed to realise the start had been switched to ‘this side’. In the light of this, Sue Murray’s second place at the first mark, West White, represented a remarkable recovery from a position well to leeward of the other leading boats. As the fleet came back from Far the order was Jane Anderson, Sue Murray, Nathan Pollard, Roger Heasman and Toby Tobias. The Solos were still trying to make up ground after their slow start with Paul Whybrow not clearing the Bosuns and the Enterprise until lap 2. Sue Murray kept closing on Jane Anderson, without quite being able to pass, and then dropping back, as much as a minute and a half at the finish. Roger Heasman started behind Vicki Duncalf and the Tobias Bosun (which now had John Dabbs as crew) but he was soon in fourth place, clear of all but the Lasers and determined to keep in front of the Solos. He did. The handicaps left the first five boats in the positions they finished on the water but brought both Toby Tobias and Vicki Duncalf up a place.
- Jane Anderson (Laser Radial)
- Sue Murray (Laser Radial)
- Nathan Pollard (Laser Radial)
- Roger Heasman (Streaker)
- Adam Hilton (Solo)
- Toby Tobias and John Dabbs (Bosun)
- Paul Whybrow (Solo)
- Vicki Duncalf (Topper)
- Cilla Gilbert and Brian Pollard (Bosun)
- John Weller and Alan Comber (Enterprise)
The Club offered particularly grateful thanks to the race officer, Jane Chadney, a member for many years who sadly has now sold her boat! She was ably assisted by Stuart Mealing and by Mandy Pollard who also took the photographs.