AM: Commodore's Cup 7

Faced with a leaden drizzling sky, a lake periodically swept by swirls of eddying mist 
and with a farm dog auditioning for the Hound of Baskervilles as a background 
soundtrack, it was not the most welcoming day for Upper Tamar sailors but a 
determined ten made it out onto the water for the last race in the Commodore's Cup 
series.  With the horn about to sound, Vicki Duncalf looked ready to make a textbook 
start, but worried about being across the line too early, she slowed and passed the 
ascendancy to other boats.  First to take advantage was Steve Axford, returned from 
the charms of the Cotswolds for a flying visit, who accelerated his Laser away with a 
skill apparently unimpaired by any rustiness from his lengthy layoff from sailing.  
Accompanying Steve was Jane Anderson, who in the smaller-rigged Laser Radial was 
soon still getting away at speed, despite momentarily hitting a dead patch.  With a 
course constrained by the need to keep away from a fishing competition on the Devon 
bank, the fleet was faced with beat to the West mark, before a short run across to 
Middle and then a close reach up into the misty distance to the Far buoy.  

As the first lap unwound, the dinghies relatively quickly divided into three separate 
packs: some way clear at the front were Steve and Jane in their Lasers, followed by a 
gap to a duel between Mike Ford in the Solo and Mary Carter in her Laser Radial, 
who were inseparable for much of the race.  The bulk of the fleet stayed in a close-
knit group at the back, where four Toppers were joined by the Graduate of Adeney 
Pooler and the Otter of John Buckett.  For a time John Duncalf headed this sub-group, 
with a neat rounding manoeuvre at the Dam mark gaining him two places.  However, 
despite being new to Toppers, by the end of the second lap Jane Chadney had taken 
over as leader of this particular pack.  On the third lap, Steve Axford had built up a 
considerable lead at the front and finished first, with Jane Anderson nearly two 
minutes behind before a four minute gap back to Mike Ford's Solo and the order 
remained the same on handicap.  Next two boats to finish were Mary Carter, followed 
by the Graduate of Adeney Pooler, with the latter making up a clutch of places on the 
last lap.  Despite this, neither were fast enough to take fourth on handicap, with that 
honour going to Jane Chadney, who was the first home of the quartet of Toppers.  
Bravery award of the day went to Stephanie Heasman, however, who despite a nasty 
blow to her face from the boom before the start and resultant capsize, still soldiered 
on and finished the race in close contention with the other Toppers.

Results: 

1st Steve Axford (Laser)
2nd Jane Anderson (Laser Radial)
3rd Mike Ford (Solo)
4th Jane Chadney (Topper)
5th John Duncalf (Topper)
6th John Buckett (Otter)
7th Vicki Duncalf (Topper)
8th Stephanie Heasman (Topper)
9th Mary Carter (Laser Radial)
10th Adeney Pooler (Graduate)

PM: Pursuit Race 2

For the afternoon's pursuit race, Vicki Duncalf and Jane Chadney renewed their 
morning's rivalry, when application of the combined boat and helm handicap system 
found them scheduled to be first away from the start.  Other boats followed at 
intervals, with the last boat away being Steve Axford, faced with a daunting 16 
minute deficit to make up on the leaders.  Perhaps influenced by all the talk of 
recessions, the Race Officer had set an unusual 'double-dip' course, with a long haul 
up to the top at Far being followed by an immediate plunge down to Home 2 and a 
bounce backup to Pinky, before dropping back down to the bottom end of the lake.  
With a two minute cushion  before the next boat away, Jane and Vicki remained clear 
in front for the much of the pursuit's allotted duration and had completed over two 
laps well clear before any of the later starters threatened their lead.  Progress for all 
the boats round the course was often something of a 'start-stop' affair, with good 
bursts of breeze and high-speed planing being interspersed with dead patches where 
dinghies made only painfully slow headway.  

As so often in Pursuit Races, much of the action was compressed into the last few 
minutes of the race.  With Jane Chadney still clear ahead, Mike Ford had been 
gradually passing the intervening boats, eventually overtaking Vicki to gain second 
place.  Another Solo, this time with John Savage at the helm also caught up with 
Vicki but she defended her third place determinedly and it took a long time before 
John could make his greater boat speed count and get past.  As the seconds ticked 
away to the end of the race, Mike Ford was gaining on Jane Chadney and would 
probably have caught up in another minute or two, but the horn sounded before he 
could get there, leaving Jane as the winner, having led for nearly all of the race.

Results: 

1st Jane Chadney (Topper)
2nd Mike Ford (Solo)
3rd John Savage (Solo)
4th Vicki Duncalf (Topper)
5th Steve Axford (Laser)
6th John Duncalf (Topper)
7th Jane Anderson (Laser Radial)
8th John Buckett (Otter)
9th Adeney Pooler (Graduate)
Paul Whybrow (Solo) rtd, Mary Carter (Laser Radial) dsq