SAILING
UNDETERRED by forecasts of Force 8 winds, 25 boats took to the line for the penultimate race of Royal Victoria Yacht Club’s frostbite series last Sunday.
A number retired before or during racing but those who did compete were tested to the limit.
Of the Squibs Aquabat (Steve Warren-Smith and Sam Abbott) made the windward mark first and stretched the lead during the race. Competition was close behind them but the Primestocks in Lizz Whizz gradually established themselves in second place as others fell by the wayside. Ollie Downer and Chris Rickman finally made their first podium finishes in Curlew.
Three cruisers sailed the same course and after an exciting start by Hilary Martin in Lesa, she soon established her dominance over Chris Turner’s Seal Elsa to post her fourth straight bullet of the series and wrap it up with a race to go. Mark Weeks’s Pendragon also added to his tally of firsts and similarly take the series early in the slow cruiser class.
Richard Talbot tamed the conditions best of all the Lasers and moved into the lead of the series with his second win. Tom Griffiths posted second place ahead of Mark Downer who beat his son George, although George stays second in the series.
In the fast dinghies, Neil Griffiths and Mark Turner had it all their own way as the only other RS400 retired, and they look good for the series win.
Prizegiving takes place at 5pm after the last of the year’s races on Sunday.