Teatime Tankard 1

The Wednesday afternoon series made a start in the 2010 season, with six boats on the 
water, benefitting from John Walter’s willingness to act as OOD, so that everybody 
could sail.  Two new entrants to the racing programme took to the water for the first 
time: Stuart Mealing, who has just started sailing on the over-50s course, went out in 
a Pico for the first time and bravely agreed to race.  Christine Marshall also took her 
Otter out for her first race, with Neil Wallace along as crew and mentor.  The winds 
were fluky and variable, with reasonable gusts interspersed with long periods of near 
calm.  Nicky Buckett got away well and secured a commanding lead that increased as 
the two-lap race went on.  John Savage had problems with gear failure and was left 
stranded for a long period on the line whilst he sorted this out, but eventually got 
away and started to catch the boats in front.  Christine sailed extremely well, getting a 
good start and staying ahead of John Buckett’s Otter for nearly all the first lap.  John 
had a good beat up to Pinky  on the second lap and pulled out a good lead, but 
Christine then gradually whittled this away and on rounding Dam Green just behind, 
bore away and just squeezed ahead of the other Otter to cross the line half a boat 
length ahead and took second place on handicap

Results:

1st Nicky Buckett (Laser)
2nd Christine Marshall and Neil Wallace (Otter)
3rd John Buckett (Otter)
4th John Savage (Solo)
Jane Chadney (Laser), Stuart Mealing (Pico) rtd