SAILING
GURNARD SC
SUNDAY saw the final race of the Autumn Series, with some 40 boats out on a final dash for points.
After a jumped start, Keith Hayden came back through to win the fast group from Phil Bunn.
With two of the cat fleet away competing on the mainland, Mike Martin led the stay-at-homes round to take a convincing win, with Laurie Gustar, Carl Blenkinsop and Jules Salter finishing in a close bunch behind.
After one lap of close-quarters racing in the RS400s, Paul Bowen and James Downer retired, leaving the field clear for Graham Deegan to cruise home ahead of Chris Symons and Humphrey Carter.
There were a few capsizes in the medium group, but Mark Harrison, Giles Peckham and Chris Gillies made it through in the RS100s, with Martin Bean first Laser.
Alex Paterson led the slow group at the end of the first lap, but it was Kieran Gibbs who led through the finish line, followed by Paterson and the Feva of Sam Metcalf and James Tomlinson.
The Frostbite Series starts this Sunday and runs through until Gurnard’s season ends on December 9 with the final race and annual prizegiving.
YARMOUTH SCAfter a short postponement, Saturday’s racing got under way with Helen Sceales winning comfortably in the handicap class from Alex Gallimore and Dan Lee.
Of the 14 Scows, those who chose the inner channel at the start gained an advantage and Melinda Measor and Peter Giles emerged well ahead. Of the rest, Chris Jones led the way, only to become entangled in seaweed. However, these three were the leading boats on the line with Peter first, Melinda second and Chris third.
With a much stronger north-easterly wind on Sunday, Helen again took charge of the handicap class and won a large margin, with Tim Lee second and Alex and Dan third.
In the Scows, Nick Measor led the fleet with Graeme Bowen and Melinda chasing.
In the end, Nick held onto the win, with Melinda second and Roger P-E third.
BRADING HAVEN YCThere was a disappointing turn out for the third event of Brading Haven’s frostbite series last Sunday.
Whether this was due to the after-effects of a successful laying-up supper the previous night or the threatening sky is hard to fathom but those who did turn out were treated to some exhilarating sailing.
From the gun, three Scows beat in unison up the harbour and stayed in close contact throughout but in the end it was Jodi Dyer who broke away from David Earee to the delights of her crew Max Spencer taking part in his first ever race. Earee held off the fast finishing John Mills to take second.
The fast handicap braved the conditions in the bay with Simon Cooper finding the force 4 north-easterly wind and rolling seas much to his liking. Within Coopers’ wake, Jonathan Hoare had a tangled kite however he still managed to keep clear water between himself and the fleet of Solos.
Cooper eventually took the gun five minutes ahead of Hoare, giving him both the win and handicap gold but Hoare was unable to repeat this being pushed out of second slot on handicap to Richard Coleman.