Report – Summer Series Day 1 by Red & Cleo Johnson
Race Officer & Starter: Andrew Duncan
Safety Boat: Mary Scott & Claudia Down
Course: Fp, Op, Ps
Weather: Classic Factory Field – a breeze bouncing from South East to North East, full of sneaky shifts, unexpected holes, and sudden gusts. In other words: business as usual.
Fleet: 11 Scows
The Summer Series kicked off with eleven boats on the line and a decent (if unreliable) NW breeze. The race took us down to Oxleys for the first time this year – a scenic route, but not without drama.
Start & Downriver Leg
The starts were mostly clean. John and Simon had the best of it, while we got stuck behind Simon and were forced mid-river. That turned out to be a blessing – a friendly lift snuck us through on the inside, letting us round mark F in first place.
Lizzie, meanwhile, decided to freestyle and led a breakaway group to E by mistake, which thinned the competition temporarily.
Around Carpenters Dock, things bunched up. Simon, John, Karl & Zoey, and Cleo and I were locked in tight quarters when the wind disappeared. All we could hear was the ominous whoosh of the rest of the fleet closing in behind us.
Gust, Gybe & Beat Back
Just before Oxleys, a surprise gust barrelled down the course, flinging everyone into the gybe and slingshotting the fleet into the beat/reach leg back upriver. The wind up to the corner was a mystery – no one seemed to agree which way it was blowing.
Simon made the bold move to break from the group and head straight for the corner. It paid off – he got there first just as the breeze finally settled, and cruised the downwind leg to P in style.
Final Leg & Finish
We were locked in a tight race with Karl & Zoey to the final mark. Neck and neck, but just managed to round inside and hold our lead for second place. John came in close behind to take fourth.
Post-Race Thanks
Big thanks to Andrew for setting a great course, and to Claudia and Mary for manning the safety boat and serving up post-race tea and spectacular cupcakes – a strong start to the summer.
Junior Regatta – rescheduled 1st June @ 3pm – Factory Field
A reminder that the Junior Regatta is coming up this weekend. Open to all Optimist and Scow sailors, young racers will enjoy a mix of fun competition and water-based games. Bring your own picnic for a relaxed lunch afterward on the bank.
We’re looking for energetic young sailors and some help from parents too – on and off the water.
