Race 2 Hextall Trophy – Race Report by Lizzie Anders

Course; Wp,Bp, and then either Pp and Ns or Ns and Pp, finishing at Ep. Followed by lunch at the Scrimgeour’s

A slightly grey and breezy start on the river.  10 boats headed out and a fairly short course was set as the fleet was then to head down river to Rive Gauche to the Scrimgeours for much anticipated lunch.  There was confusion as to which course to follow as some were briefed Withies to port, Blackwater to port and then Pigs to port, Northbank to starboard followed by a finish line between a committee boat and Exbury to port.  But some were briefed Northbank to starboard and then Pigs to port – in other words the other way round.   I can’t be sure as to what course was on the board on the platform – the confusion may have occurred when after the Race Officer announced the course, the letters on the board muddled themselves into a different order.  Hey ho…. in good Beaulieu River Sailing Club spirit the race happened, there were no hard feelings and it was decided that all the boats over the line would stay in the order they crossed despite the fleet splitting and doing 2 variations of Pigs and Northbank.  Jay was first over the line, Mike Doherty 2nd and Red and Cleo Johnson 3rd.  The 10 boats then headed down the creek along with the safety and committee boat to the best reception at Inchmery Hard where the refreshments were plenty and the woes of the race confusion fell away as the competitors and helpers enjoyed the hospitality of Benj and and Christian Scrimgeour in one of the best spots on the river; the wind dropped and the sun came out.

A good time was had by all and ‘thank you’ to the Scrimgeours for kindly hosting us once again. Our thanks also to Frank McGinn and Miranda Knowles on the Platform, Lizzie Anders as Committee Boat Driver and Bill Vance and Keith Hutton on Safety Boat Duty.

RACE 3     Hextall Trophy Saturday 22nd June     1100     HW  1200                                                     

STARTING PLATFORM                           Gerry Marling-Roberts                                                   

RACE OFFICER                                       Oli Stanley                                                                 

SAFETY BOAT TEAM                              Sophie Stanley & Al Fothergill                                        

TEA                                                           **** slot to fill ****