AM: Commodore's Cup 5

With a brisk and decidedly bitter north-easterly wind sending whitecaps 
marching across the lake, most club members opted for playing sardines in 
the Race Hut in order to get out of the chill and it was left to the Topper fleet 
to provide the action on the water.  Simon Veal, hiring one of the club's own 
Toppers, joined regular Topper helms John and Vicki Duncalf on the start line 
for a countdown postponed whilst Vicki was helped by Roger Heassman to 
change her mast owing to a rivet failure.  As the horn sounded, John Duncalf 
was over the line and had to re-start and it was Vicki who was away best.  
However, Simon was soon getting to grips with an unfamiliar boat and by 
virtue of keeping the boat flat on the beat, was first around the mark at Inlet 
and had extended this lead into the windiest part of the lake on the long haul 
up to Far.  On the downwind leg, it was a different story: a combination of 
Vicki's lighter weight and a daggerboard that wouldn't stay raised on Simon's 
boat meant that he was much slower on the broad reach back down the lake 
and Vicki had retaken the lead by the start of the second lap.  

This theme of Simon's upwind advantage and Vicki's better downwind speed 
remained the story of the race for the second lap, but by midway through the 
third lap Simon looked to have increased his lead to a point where he 
probably had enough in hand to stay in front until the end.  However, as so 
often in sailing, things can often change in an instant: all Simon's hard work 
quickly came unravelled when he got the bluff-bowed Topper into irons as he 
tried to tack through the chop at the top of the lake.  His unfamiliarity with the 
boat meant that he took an age to get going again, by which time Vicki had 
retaken the lead, which she held until the end, finishing twenty seconds ahead 
of Simon, with John a further minute behind.  All the boats received a round of 
applause from those watching ashore as they finished, as a mark of 
appreciation for completing the race in very testing conditions.

Results: 

1st Vicki Duncalf (Topper)
2nd Simon Veal (Topper)
3rd John Duncalf (Topper)

PM: Tamar Cup 2

Another novice Topper helm was added to the fleet for the afternoon race, as 
Jorg Gawrisch joined the morning's trio on the water in the second club 
Topper.  Jorg looked comfortable in a class of boat he'd never sailed before, 
but then spoiled things by getting confused during the starting sequence and 
heading up the lake at the one-minute hooter.  Fortunately, he realised his 
mistake and re-started, but was left well behind the other three starters.  As in 
the morning's race, Simon was again first on the beat to the Inlet mark.  Vicki 
was around in second but then almost capsized just after she rounded, 
allowing John to close up behind.  The wind funnelling down the top end of 
the lake seemed to have turned the long haul up to the Far mark into a true 
beat and all the helms had to work hard to make progress to windward.  
Simon stayed in first as he rounded the mark, but John had overtaken Vicki to 
claim second place, his technique of sailing less close to the wind but faster 
than Vicki apparently paying dividends.  With assistance from his pit team, 
Simon had sorted out his centreboard over the lunch break and was less 
disadvantaged on the downwind leg than in the morning race, though Vicki's 
was still noticeably the quickest boat on the offwind stretches.

By the third lap, Jorg was a long way behind the other boats and after some 
multiple capsizes at Far, wisely decided to retire.  Simon had once again built 
up a commanding lead at this stage, despite one or two alarming wobbles 
during the long beat that led to sharp intakes of breath from the binocular-
watchers on shore.  This time, however, he held it all together, finally crossing 
the line in first place to win by the convincing margin of ninety seconds, a very 
impressive achievement given that he was out in a class of boat which he 
doesn't normally sail.  Vicki sailed well and ended up retaining second place, 
another thirty seconds ahead of John.

Results: 

1st Simon Veal (Topper)
2nd Vicki Duncalf (Topper)
3rd John Duncalf (Topper) 
Jorg Gawrisch (Topper) rtd