Sunday 28th June 2009 - Club Open Day

A few photos from the first four rounds of the Des Dixon Match Racing event, held on a very calm day, are here.

 

The warm summer weather attracted a large fleet of 11 boats on the water to compete in the weekends two handicap races on Sunday. With light winds of varying direction, the first heat set off downstream where they bunched together all trying to find some clear air. Ian Edwards took an early lead followed by Simon Styles and John Pickford. Edwards made the mistake of rounding a mark the wrong way, only to be followed by Styles & Pickford. The rest of the fleet sailed the correct course and by the time the erring three had re sailed the correct course, they found themselves at the back of the fleet and had to work hard to catch up. Meanwhile Tony Jacks had taken the lead from Adam Styles and Peter Green when all three were passed by a surprised Alistair Gordon in his first outing of the season. These positions were not to last, as the trio of British Moths of Edwards, Green and Pickford sailed through the fleet to make up for their earlier errors. Pickford stole the lead off Edwards on the last lap and slowly opened up a gap which was quickly reduced on the run in to the line, with Pickford just holding off Edwards in second, and Green in third, all three being within half a length of each other.

The second heat, in similar conditions , had Pickford first to the first mark only to be caught on the long run upstream by Edwards and Green. These three then opened up a considerable lead over the rest, proving the versatility of the British Moth in light winds. The lead constantly changed between the leaders but it was Edwards who held on when it mattered to take the win from Pickford and Green

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