They’re off! All 20 yes TWENTY Swallows on the start line – not had that number for a while! To celebrate Blue Tit (with Tom C-S driving for R1) popped out from lower down the Thorney line and tacked when shifts and tides required to lead at the inflatable windward mark on the Itchenor shore. This 2up crew were surely likely to succumb to the pressures behind? Not a bit of it – although Gwaihir occasionally got close Tom and Paul were not to be turned away from a masterful win. Solitude made it up to 3rd.
Conditions remained lightish for the start of the afternoon’s b2b races – basically R2 was a short sprint course. Things got exciting as we spinnakered down to the Pilsey beach and Tern when a strong gust hit the fleet and those with skill and co-ordination were able to move up decisively and others dropped their kites for safety. The stars were Spectre, Marengo and Gwaihir who after just 35 minutes secured their podium places.
PRO Ollie Gilchrist gave us some respite in the follow-on R3 with a spinnaker leg from Ellanore to Pivot and then a beat to Beach – t’was good to be out there! Team Marengo shone on the way to Pivot and stayed there through the popple of East Head and on the long run home (David Sloper managing the kite). Skua also did well downhill with Robin K deputising for Prue. It was quite tricky approaching the Gallon finish in the Easterly breeze and now strong ebb with several boats rather forgetting that a broadside Swallow keel can be interesting Gwaihir notched up another 3rd.
Sunday’s conditions were similar to Saturday with the sea breeze fighting the gradient easterly all day. The usual candidates fought over the pin in race four with some even getting away on port. Gwaihir lead at the first windward mark from Spectre and a three way battle ensued for most of the race. Gwaihir lead at the first two leeward marks but failed to master the game of snakes and ladders towards the end of the race. Spectre eventually took the win, their second in the series, with Marengo second.
In the fifth and last race the fleet started to the East in that wonderful gap that often exists between the sea breeze and land breeze. Osprey, sailed by James Hartley and Rob Sutherland was first to “Walrus” and elected to head down the rhumb-line against the tide to Gardener and was the first to pick up the sea breeze seeming even to be struggling two up on the now tight port reach under spinnaker. Those who went further south got the breeze later and those who chose to cheat the tide on the north shore never got the sea breeze at all having little option but to retire whilst the remaining fleet enjoyed a sparkling beat out to Treloar and back under kites. Osprey won with Spectre second and Archon having their best race of the series in third. Marengo had led by 2 points going into the final race but only managed a 4th to give the coveted Norman Moore Trophy to Spectre on countback.
1st Spectre (A rotating cast of luminaries with Jonny P at the helm and with Sophie P, Adrian Fisk, Ben Hartley, and Bruce Grant) 9 points (North)
2nd Marengo (Carolyn Brigg, Sue Hamlyn, David Sloper) 9 points (Batt)
3rd Gwaihir (Mike Wigmore, Mark Struckett, Charles Hyatt 11 points (North)