AM: Cup 3
Many of the Club’s sailors had spent Saturday dressed as pirates taking landlubbers on taster voyages, but, enthusiasts that they are, some eighteen of them in fourteen boats took to the water on a bright cool day with northish winds, light and highly variable. After a tight start – two boats were over the line – the fleet soon spread out as they tacked up the Lake to Middle buoy. The Wayfarer of Mike Coulson and Vicky took an early lead and returning from the top of the Lake, flew its very colourful spinnaker. Running into Inlet the Laser Radial of Jane Anderson was rapidly catching up the Wayfarer, the two boats having a good lead over the rest of the field which was led by the two Solos of Paul Whybrow and Adam Hilton plus a bunch of Radial and Full Lasers skippered by Paul Anderson, Penny Abbott and Linda Spiller. Robin Spiller on the other hand, had had his mainsail collapse on him and though he started the race decided to retire during lap 1, having lost his wind indicator, much needed on a day with such fluky pockets of wind. Positions changed little through the race, although the Anderson Laser and Coulson Wayfarer changed places a time or two and Penny Abbott ended the last lap at the head of the second bunch. The officiating Duncalfs had shortened the race from four laps to three but it was still nearly an hour and a half on the water for the slower boats.
Results:
1. Adam Hilton (Solo)
2. Mike and Viki Herbert-Coulson (Wayfarer)
3. Jane Anderson (Laser Radial)
4. Paul Whybrow (Solo)
5. Penny Abbott (Laser Full)
6. Roger Heasman and Sally Wills (Bosun)
7. John Buckett (Otter)
8. Linda Spiller (Laser Radial)
9. John Dabbs (Gull)
10. Paul Anderson (Laser Full)
11. John Savage (Solo)
12. Alan Comber and John Weller (Enterprise)
13. Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert (Bosun)
Retired: Robin Spiller (Streaker)
PM: Ladies, Gents, Junior, Gosling 2
With a fresher north-westerly breeze all boats were well behind the start line for the afternoon race with Sue Murray, Jane Anderson (both in Laser Radials) and Paul Whybrow (Solo) making the best starts. Several little battles took place on the water; once again Jane Anderson’s Laser Radial and the Herbert-Coulson Wayfarer were nip and tuck with the bigger boat having a five second advantage at the end. Alas the Wayfarer had infringed the ‘all crew on or in the water at the four minute gun’ rule and had to be disqualified. Behind them came the flying Sue Murray in third and Penny Abbott, Adam Hilton and Linda Spiller repeated their tussles of the morning with Robin Spiller added to the mix. The officials recorded a two second gap between Adam Hilton and Linda Spiller as they crossed the finish line!
Results:
1. Jane Anderson (Laser Radial)
2. Sue Murray (Laser Radial)
3. Adam Hilton (Solo)
4. Roger Heasman and Sally Wills (Bosun)
5. Robin Spiller (Streaker),
6. Penny Abbott (Laser Full)
7. Linda Spiller (Laser Radial)
8. Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert (Bosun)
9. Paul Whybrow (Solo)
10. Alan Comber and John Weller (Enterprise)
Disqualified: Mike and Viki Herbert-Coulson (Wayfarer)
Grateful thanks were given to Vicki and John Duncalf for running the races and writing these reports and to Mandy Pollard for her photographs.