Class Racing 2009 by Ian Smith and Tom White
RS300 class Race 1 saw Stephen and Ian scrapping on the startline, with Ian doing turns after hitting the mark and Stephen failing to lay the pin end. Meanwhile the wily Chris found a nice space on the line and sailed into an early lead. There was lots of close tacking up the beat but Chris struggled to match Stephen and Ian's boatspeed on the reaches.
Race 2 was a more orderly start with Stephen and Ian initially pulling into the lead before a combination of over-enthusiastic covering and wind shifts allowed Chris back through.
Following coffee and calories Race 3 saw more breeze and Ian get away from the startline first with Stephen chasing hard. Chris may have practised some swimming.
In Race 4 Stephen put a cheeky lee bow squeeze on Ian (how does he sail so high?) to take the lead. Chris came back through to the lead on lap 3 before capsizing on the windward mark, with Stephen squeezing through the gap and back into the lead which he kept to the finish.
Many thanks to Nick Pascoe for faultless race organisation Results: Ian 1,1,1,2 Stephen 2,2,2,1 Chris 3,3,3,3
Laser Class Tom reports: It seems a while since we ran the event and my brain got a bit waterlogged at one point in the proceedings so much of the memory of the event was literally wiped (or washed perhaps). One memory that does remain is of one of my splendid trademark downwind windward capsizes (followed by performance of the even more splendid San Francisco Roll - not to be confused with either the Sausage or Swiss Roll).
Also, as the water lapped at my eyeballs, seeing Steve Hiley's transom disappearing into the distance. This may have been in the race before the tea-break. Did Steve sail over me and push me deeper in? I can't really remember but the competition was so keen that that may have occurred. [Tom, definitely the latter, Steve knows we are onto his lassoing, perhaps this is his new modus operandi Ed.]. Barrie was elected to honorary membership of the Laser fleet (having declined the offer of membership of the Rs300 fleet) and proceeded to sail well above his handicap in the blustery conditions.
Those who sailed enjoyed the racing and the conditions for the day. Courses were good and the 5 minute separation of the 2 fleet starts meant a very close finish after the 4 lap races.
Finally, Steve Finch would like to point out that he cowardly kept out of everyone's way at the start line and baptised his return to sailing (twice). Steve - its good to talk...
