SAILING
BEMBRIDGE SC
WINTER sun made for perfect conditions for the club’s Bailey Bowl last weekend.
Newcomer Robbie Southwell, from Gurnard, had an impressive set of results quickly getting to grip with foot steering, and posted two top five places.
But it was Graham Sunderland who took the bowl, with a consistent performance ending in him dropping only nine marks.
He said: "It was shifty, puffy and choppy but I am delighted to win such a beautiful trophy. I am learning all the time and loving it."
Second was Mark Downer, with Colin Simonds in third.
On Saturday, a sizeable course was set just outside Bembridge Harbour and Simonds, in his first outing this season, nailed the first two shifts. But the performance of the day went to overnight leader Jo Downer who scored 4, 1, 2.
Sunday’s racing featured lighter winds and Mark Downer was on a charge, winning the first two races although not having it all his own way.
Andrew Christie and Philip Woodford both took turns at the front with commodore Philip Bown teaching everyone how to sail fast downwind.
YARMOUTH SCBoth Saturday and Sunday’s races were a contest of patience and concentration for the sailors taking part in the club’s winter series, with Graeme Bowen the master.
On Saturday, the 4.7s, with Alex Gallimore and Tim Lee at the helms, led the pack around both courses to take line honours but it was the Scows of Bowen, Toms and Parsloe which took both races on handicap.
On Sunday, Ian North, in his Mirror, joined the Scows and 4.7s, and showed why he loves light weather, finishing first but on corrected time it was Bowen who took the race, North was second and Nick Measor was third.
The breeze dropped even more for the second race, and once again, it was the 4.7s that caught just a breath to ease their way to the line but Toms in his Scow found the first of the ebb to slide smoothly over in third and take the race on corrected time.
Bowen took the winter series overall, with Toms second and Gallimore third.