AM: Tamar Memorial Trophy 6 With a full lake and a full start line, Sunday's dinghy racing at Upper Tamar had all the right ingredients for an excellent day's competition. Race Officer Bob Sampson had to work hard to construct a course that would avoid interfering with competing lake users of a model yacht regatta on the far bank and various fishermen encamped at awkward spots on the shore, but he got his 17-strong fleet away successfully with a close reach up to the West mark. Neil Wallace and crew David Higgs brought the Wayfarer storming out off the blocks to be first away, with Simon Veal close behind and Sue Murray's Topaz also showing well to the fore. Neil and Simon rounded the buoy and disappeared into the distance towards the Far mark in first and second places, but Roger Ford and Val Shillito were determined not to let the rival Wayfarer get too far away and caught up from a slower start to round in third. As the race unfolded, it became clear that the fleet was faced with two contrasting types of sailing, with some good breeze giving bursts of speed across the middle of the lake, compared to fluky zephyrs on the long haul up to Far where progress could be something of a lottery; one boat could be drifting along, whilst a few yards away a fortunate rival would pick up a gust and shoot away. Despite the difficulties, Joe Hedges was going well in making the step up from Pocock Trophy racing in the Topper, whilst with her slightly greater experience, Meg Higgs was doing even better and showing considerable promise for the future. Back after holiday, Toby Tobias was having a gripping battle with John Chandler's rival Bosun, at one point picking up a wind shift to cut a huge corner off on the beat to West and catch up a vast distance. Also welcomed back onto the water after a long absence was the iconic red Wayfarer 101, with John Leveridge doing well at the helm under Mike Ford's light- touch tutelage. Alan Comber's Enterprise also attracted attention as he started to make up places on the second lap. By the end of the race, Neil Wallace was still hanging on to a substantial lead and crossed the line exactly a minute ahead of the next boat, to give a comfortable win on handicap. Simon Veal had hung onto second for two laps, but Roger Ford gradually wore down the margin and got a few seconds ahead to take second place on handicap with Simon notching up a well-deserved third place. Results: 1st Neil Wallace and David Higgs (Wayfarer), 2nd Roger Ford and Val Shillito (Wayfarer), 3rd Simon Veal (Laser), 4th Paul Whybrow (Solo), 5th Katie Leveridge (Laser Radial), 6th John Buckett (Otter), 7th Sue Murray and Mark Murray (Topper Topaz), 8th Jane Chadney (Laser), 9th Roger Heasman (Laser Radial), 10th Meg Higgs (Topper), 11th John Chandler (Bosun), 12th Toby Tobias and Chris Marshall (Bosun), 13th Alan Comber and John Weller (Enterprise), 14th John Leveridge and Mike Ford (Wayfarer), 15th Mary Carter (Laser), 16th Joe Hedges (Topper), Derek Farnfield (Streaker) rtd Lunchtime: Peter Pocock Memorial Trophy The improving standard of sailing in the Pocock Trophy was clear to see as the 5- strong fleet all got away well, with Meg Higgs away first and Wilhemine Rademaker in second. However, no-one could pull away to establish a clear lead and at one point several boats were completely level-pegging. Rounding the Dam buy, Daan Rademaker had moved into second and Joe Hedges had worked his way through from the back of the fleet just behind him. As the race moved into its final stages, Meg was still clinging onto the lead but Joe just pipped her to the post to take first place, with Daan and Wilhemine very close behind. Results: 1st Joe Hedges, 2nd Meg Higgs, 3rd Daan Rademaker, 4th Wilhemine Rademaker, 5th Lisselotte Rademaker PM: Pursuit Race 5 The intricacies of the Pursuit handicapping system means that Stephanie Heasman had a four minute head start before the next boat away and she made the most of it, getting away cleanly and well up the lake before Derek Farnfield gave chase in a second Topper. Of the early starters, it was immediately clear that the Wayfarer of Roger Ford was the boat to watch as it rapidly tracked down most of the early starters and started off in pursuit of Stephanie, still out at the front. One of the later starters was Roger Heasman, who wiled away the time by doing a little light capsizing before the off. Last boat away was Neil Wallace's Wayfarer, starting a daunting 16 minutes after Stephanie. Several boats were confused by changes to the afternoon's course, missing out Zebra, but all eventually worked out where they should be and set off in pursuit. By the second lap, Roger Ford had overtaken Stephanie and rapidly pulled away into the distance. The remainder of the later-starting boats weren't finding things so easy, however, and Toby Tobias was still going extremely well in third place, with John Chandler behind him easing into fourth, both helms going very well single-handed. Stephanie Heasman was still going very well, however, and neither of the chasing boats found it easy to reduce the gap. Behind them, it was the RS200 that became the one to watch, managing to fly its gennaker flying on tight reaches of much of the course, with crisply executed gybes at the Home 2 and Inlet marks. As the minutes ticked down for the end of the race, however, Roger Ford and Val Shillito were obviously going to be clear winners by a country mile. Bob Sampson's RS200 almost made it into second but Toby clung on, leaving Bob with third and a well-sailed fourth for Stephanie Heasman, her highest-ever pursuit race placing. Results: 1st Roger Ford and Val Shillito (Wayfarer), 2nd Toby Tobias (Bosun), 3rd Bob Sampson and Nicky Buckett (RS200), 4th Stephanie Heasman (Topper), 5th John Chandler (Bosun), 6th Simon Veal (Laser), 7th Jane Chadney (Laser Radial), 8th Neil Wallace and Chris Marshall (Wayfarer), 9th Alan Comber and John Weller (Enterprise), 10th Paul Whybrow (Solo), 11th John Buckett (Otter), 12th Derek Farnfield (Topper), 13th Katie Leveridge (Laser Radial), 14th Roger Heasman (Laser Radial), 15th David Higgs (Laser), 16th Mike Ford and John Leveridge (Wayfarer), 17th Mary Carter (Laser)