Spring Series Race 3

Sunday 7th April 1100 HW 1030

STARTING PLATFORM Gerry Marling-Roberts

RACE OFFICER Frank McGinn

SAFETY BOAT TEAM Oli & Sophie Stanley

REFRESHMENTS *** Slot to fill ***

Race 4 : Saturday 13th April 1500 HW 1520

STARTING PLATFORM Ginna Gayner

RACE OFFICER John Phipps

SAFETY BOAT TEAM V & E Bonham Carter

REFRESHMENTS *** Slot to fill ***

RACE REPORT : RACE 2 30th March 1400 Fp Ep Ds Cp As Ps x 2

Rupert Stratton

The 2nd race of the spring series was absolutely perfect. The sun shone and we had a decent south westerly breeze. Great turn out too, 14 boats in all.

Jay Devonshire set another excellent course with lots of opportunities to practice our mark rounding and gybes. The 1st mark was F. About 30 seconds before the start, a strong breeze picked up and consequently at the starting gun most of the fleet was too enthusiastic and over the line which led to a general recall. Could this be the 1st general recall in the club’s history?

The second start was more successful – seamlessly organised from the Platform by Gerry Marling-Roberts and her supportive Safety Boat Team, Sam van Holthe and Elizabeth Gedge – and we had an interesting beat to F taking every lift that was offered.

Frustratingly, buoy F, tucked into the bend near the trees, was in the doldrums so the fleet became quite bunched up but Jay, Symon Stratton and Lizzie Anders did really well and rounded smoothly and headed the fleet around E and then on a run towards A via D and C.

This was my first sail in 3 years following my stroke so it felt fantastic to be out on the water again.

The second round proved interesting. Jay, Symon and Lizzie were well clear ahead but there were some position changes in mid field. The B-C’s caught up extremely well and finished 4th. Congratulations to Jay on taking the gun with Symon in second and Lizzie in third place.

There was a little ‘ding dong’ round the A. On approaching the mark, that good old ‘3 boat length’ rule was up for heated discussion and I decided to go wide, keep well clear and then slipped back to finish 5th.

A ‘shout out’ to Kristen Branford and his father-in-law Ned who crossed 7th on Kristen’s first race at the helm; to Sophia Moore & Karen Rogers, fairly new to racing and to Simon Shaw for persevering with his two young children even if they were a bit reluctant at the start!

Huge thanks to Gerry on the Starting Platform, to the safety boat team Sam and Elizabeth and to Jay for the great course. As always the tea was delicious, this time generously provided and organised by Erica Neve. Many thanks to Hicky Gibbs who dispatched Simon round to RFF with a banana cake straight out of the oven and to Victoria for her home made sausage rolls. A proper Easter spread.

RESULTS

1 . 376 Jay Devonshire

  1. 273 Symon Stratton
  2. 550 Lizzie Anders
  3. 510 Victoria and Edward Bonham Carter
  4. 253 Rupert Stratton
  5. 589 Red and Cleo Johnson
  6. 595 Kristen Branford & Ned
  7. 263 Nick Burge
  8. 320 Simon, Babar & Mimi Shaw
  9. 421 Karl Liebat
  10. 525 Bill & Emily Vance
  11. 454 Al Fothergill
  12. 414 Peter Marling-Roberts
  13. 464 Sophia Moore and Karen Rogers