AM: Barnwell Cup 2

With the call of holidays and sailing regattas elsewhere, it was a select handful of 
boats that took to the water for the second race of the Barnwell Cup Series.  The 
faithful few were welcomed by a good north-westerly sailing breeze, in place of the 
forecast light and variable winds and it was Nicky Buckett who was the first to take 
advantage and get away ahead of the fleet.  With most boats clawing their way across 
the line on starboard and looking to switch onto port tack at the earliest opportunity to 
head up the lake to the West mark, there were a few close calls to keep helms on their 
toes and the early lead switched to leave Bob Sampson at the front in his Laser, 
closely followed by Jane Anderson in a Laser Radial.  After the turn at West and a 
close reach up to Pinky, the fleet started to spread out, but Bob seemed unable to take 
advantage of the larger sail area of his full rig Laser as the wind temporarily dropped 
and Jane in the Laser Radial stayed glued to his transom.

Returning to the dam end of the lake, the fleet was faced with the additional obstacles 
of avoiding canoes out on hire and starting the second lap was the signal for major re-
shuffling in the placings in the middle of the fleet.  As so often, the windward leg 
gave the biggest opportunities for gains and losses: some helms made for West mark 
with a single port tack beat right out into the middle of the lake, whilst others put in 
several tacks, hugging the Cornish bank.  Nicky Buckett was having a torrid time, 
slipping back from third to sixth, whilst conversely, Emily Veal was moving up the 
leader board to third place, with the added incentive of family rivalry pressing her to 
keep ahead of Simon Veal, as he too made up places.  By the end of the lap, Bob 
Sampson had finally managed to start building the sort of lead he required to have any 
hope of a win over Jane, opening up a 150 metre gap, which he then consistently 
increased to the end of the four-lap race.  Finishing two minutes ahead of Jane 
Anderson was more than enough to give him a very comfortable first place on 
handicap, with Jane herself in second and  John Buckett's Otter doing enough at the 
back of the fleet to take third.  Mike Ford continued his run of good form to take 
fourth place in the Solo, whilst the tightest finish on the line was Simon Veal, shading 
fifth place less than a second ahead of Nicky Buckett in sixth.

Results: 

1st Bob Sampson (Laser)
2nd Jane Anderson (Laser Radial)
3rd John Buckett (Otter)
4th Mike Ford (Solo)
5th Simon Veal (Laser)
6th Nicky Buckett (Laser)
7th Emily Veal (Laser Radial)
8th John Savage (Solo)

PM: Ladies Cup/Junior Helm/Gosling Shield 2

With the wind strengthening further to give a suspicion of whitecaps and a few drops 
of summer rain, the fleet set off on the same course for the afternoon race.  Simon 
Veal and Jane Anderson were first away but on the first beat, Mike Ford decided to be 
a one-tack wonder and this time it paid off, as he reached West mark close up behind 
Jane and Simon.  However, Jane started pulling out a commanding lead and with no 
Bob to challenge her in the afternoon race, was soon sailing the remainder of the race 
in splendid isolation.  Behind her, Simon Veal was hanging on to second, but being 
pressed hard by Emily Veal in her Laser Radial.  At  the back, the two Johns were 
shepherding the fleet round the course together for a time, until John Savage made the 
superior boat speed of his Solo pay off and pulled clear of the Otter, despite having 
one or two anxious moments when catching a gust at the windier gybe marks.  Nicky 
Buckett was another one having the odd heart-fluttering time, having to put in a quick 
crash-tack to avoid spearing a wandering canoe, but despite this started to make 
progress up the fleet, passing Mike Ford's Solo at Inlet and making gains on Emily 
Veal, who had made a great start to the race.

As the race entered the fourth and final lap, Jane was streets ahead of her nearest rival 
and finished three minutes clear of the second boat to take both the overall race on 
handicap and first in the Ladies Cup.  Despite a capsize heading to West, Simon Veal 
crossed the line second, over half a minute ahead of Nicky Buckett's Laser Radial; 
only twelve seconds behind her was Emily Veal, who had sailed extremely well 
despite a lack of recent sailing practice and who picked up valuable Junior Helm 
points.  Despite languishing in last place on the water, the handicap calculations again 
favoured John Buckett's Otter, which took second by just a small margin ahead of 
Mike Ford's Solo.

Results: 

1st Jane Anderson (Laser Radial)
2nd John Buckett (Otter)
3rd Mike Ford (Solo)
4th Nicky Buckett (Laser Radial)
5th Emily Veal (Laser Radial)
6th Simon Veal (Laser)
7th John Savage (Solo)