AM: Barnwell Cup 3

With the Race Officer having scheduled a daunting six lap circuit, the midday fleet set 
off with mournful cries of 'I might be back by teatime' and settled down to jockey for 
position at the start.  Most of the helms opted for the safer starboard tack approach to 
the line but were then faced with heading for Inlet by making a crash tack onto port 
without impeding the boats immediately behind them, which some helms managed 
better than others.  The first boats to show clear at the front were Jane Anderson, 
Vicki Duncalf and John Buckett, but as the leaders reached the Inlet mark, it was Jane 
in the lead followed by Nicky Buckett.  The two Solos were soon tussling for third 
place, with Mike Ford finding it hard to shake off John Savage.  Without a true beat in 
the course, positions were slow to change, though Emily Veal was making good 
progress and by the end of the first lap had overtaken both Solos and was pressing 
Nicky for second.  

As the race unfolded, much of the close quarters action was in the middle of the fleet, 
where the Toppers and John Buckett's Otter were jostling for places, with the 
occasional bump when concentration lapsed.  After a slow start, Simon Veal was 
beginning to move the Laser 16 through the field, with Ellie Kinsella working hard as 
crew.  Having gained two places on the second lap, he then gained another two on the 
third as John Buckett failed to leave Vicki Duncalf enough room at the Home One 
buoy on the downwind run and the two boats locked together and pirouetted round, 
allowing Simon to steam past both. Out for a first sail of the season in his Laser, John 
Weller made a conservative start, but was sailing untroubled until the wind started to 
build and he gradually dropped back, allowing John Duncalf past when he got into 
irons.    Jane meanwhile was sailing untroubled at the front and when the Race Officer 
relented to shorten the course to four laps, she crossed the line first nearly three 
minutes ahead of Nicky in second and this remained the order on handicap.  Despite 
her close encounter, Vicki still did enough to just hold onto third place on handicap, 
just a few seconds ahead of another good performance by Mike Ford.

Results: 

1st Jane Anderson (Laser Radial)
2nd Nicky Buckett (Laser Radial)
3rd Vicki Duncalf (Topper)
4th Mike Ford (Solo)
5th Emily Veal (Laser Radial)
6th John Savage (Solo)
7th John Buckett (Otter)
8th John Duncalf (Topper)
9th David Harris (Otter)
10th Simon Veal and Ellie Kinsella (Laser 16)
11th John Weller (Laser)

PM: Cup Race 3

After a convivial lunchtime fuelled in equal measure by cake and conversation, the 
helms were brought back to reality by the realisation that under darkening skies, the 
breeze had become a strong and gusty north-westerly wind and it was on a choppy 
lake laced with whitecaps that the fleet prepared for the afternoon Cup race. Simon 
Veal had decided extra weight was needed to help keep the Laser 16 flat and had 
press-ganged Emily as a third crew member.  Nevertheless, it was Paul Whybrow 
who was first away across the line, with usual front-runner Jane Anderson making a 
slowish start by her own high standards.   Nevertheless, after rounding the Inlet mark, 
Jane had closed up to second behind Paul.  After a close reach across to the Middle 
buoy, the boats were faced with a ninety-degree turn to the next mark at Pinky and 
some helms struggled with the tack here. Conditions on the next leg down to Inlet 
were relatively benign but the turn in the windiest part of the lake onto a dead run 
gave several helms palpitations as their boats took off on a white-knuckle ride 
downwind; with the gusty wind veering and backing, at times boats were sailing by 
the lee and several did deliberate or accidental gybes.  Both Otters decided that 
discretion was the better point of valour shortly after this and decided to retire from 
the fray.  

The RS200 was starting to show its boatspeed by this point on the second lap but Liz 
then came unstuck at Middle buoy and capsized.  By this stage, positions at the front 
were a repeat of the morning race, with Jane in front and Nicky pursuing faintly in 
second.  The downwind rollercoaster then claimed a victim at the Dam Red buoy 
where Paul Whybrow's Solo capsized and inverted, before becoming entangled with 
boom protecting the Dam and lengthy assistance was needed from the safety boat 
before he could be righted.  The RS200 held on to its third place, despite the capsize, 
whilst by the third lap, Simon Veal had been gradually improving and had moved up 
to fourth, with the Laser 16 looking comfortable and assured in the tricky conditions.  
John Duncalf was once again relishing the tougher conditions in his Topper and was 
going very well, competing for 6th place with John Savage's Solo for a while.  
Nevertheless, Jane Anderson was able to complete a double victory for the day, again 
being both first on the water and on handicap.  Although starting to shorten the 
margin at the end, Nicky Buckett was still two minutes behind Jane and on handicap, 
it was John Duncalf that took second place, ahead of Nicky in third.

Results: 

1st Jane Anderson (Laser Radial)
2nd John Duncalf (Topper)
3rd Nicky Buckett (Laser Radial)
4th Vicki Duncalf (Topper)
5th Mike Ford (Solo)
6th Liz Royall and Bob Sampson (RS200)
7th John Savage (Topper)
8th Simon Veal, Emily Veal and Ellie Kinsella (Laser 16)
Paul Whybrow (Solo), John Buckett (Otter) and David Harris (Otter) rtd