SAILING
BRADING HAVEN YC
FOLLOWING the previous weekend’s regatta for keelboats it was the turn of the Inshore classes, with 32 boats across the various classes on Saturday and 30 on Sunday.
Conditions were similar on both days but on Saturday was particularly changeable, finally dropping to becalm many and resulting in nearly half the fleet to retire.
Ben Stitt took line and handicap honoures in the fast handicap, with Simon Cooper and Roger Herbert sharing the line and handicap podium places.
Lawrence Blackburn took the win in the slow handicap from A. White.
Only three boats completed the Scows, with Oliver Morgan winning from Anne Barlow and Francesca Morgan.
In the Swans, Peter and Sarah Smith won from Mike and Kim Quinn, with Clive and Toni Spash third. Cadet Cameron Graham was the only entrant in the Optimist class.
On Sunday, Stitt took line honours again in the fast, but Richard Coleman came through on handicap, from Herbert and Cooper.
In the slow handicap, the P. Barry and Annabel White took on Jason Fuller.
Barry eventually got the better of both White and Fuller but it was Fuller who took honours on handicap.
Close racing continued in the eight-strong Scows with Anne Barlow and Francesca Morgan finishing ahead of Barry Dyer.
The Swans race was won by the Spash family, from the Quinns. The Smiths were disqualified for sailing through the line.
GURNARD SC
An RS100 Open Meeting was held at Gurnard over the weekend, with enough mainland visitors to double the size of the home fleet and provide some great racing.
Visitor Huw Powell was a clear winner with the large rig, but the next six places were closely contested between the locals and the visitors with the honours just about even.
Jane Peckham sailed on the Sunday as the sole woman, while Barrie and Amanda Harding and their team did an excellent job as race officers for the event.
Sunday club sailing ran parallel, with 40 boats out. Paul Jennings’s Hurricane had a handsome win in the cats, with a good fight among the Shadows for the next three places.
There was a similar scrap in the fast group with Bob Preston just pipping Martin Scott in their RS700s.
Ben Green’s RS500 was first home in the medium group but the Finns of Cooper and Blowers managed to catch him on handicap.
Another Blowers was in the Laser points, this time Harry with a matching second place behind Martin Bean. Julian James was third. Following his recent win in Yarmouth waters, Adam Coventry topped the slow group ahead of Mike Peddar and Ted, yet another Blowers.
YARMOUTH SC
The club held its regatta last weekend, with four races in total for all classes.
In the Oppies, Thomas Whitehead gained two wins on Saturday, with Paddy Lord second and Dan Lee third in the first race and Scarlett Lord second and Paddy third in the second.
In the handicap class, Rachael Parsloe won the first race from Helen Sceales second and Abi Lister third. Joy Mowle was first in the second race with Abi second and Helen third.
With only two entrants in the WWSC, Tony Russell and David Hedley each gained a first place. In the YSCSC, Mike Sheaf was last at the first mark but to gained places and narrowly took first place on the line from Nick Measor second and Alan Toms third. In the second race, Tom Symes and Nick gained an advantage by starting started at the leeward end of the line and Tom went on to consolidate his position and take first place with Mike second and Mary Lord third.
On Sunday, Thomas made it a clean sweep in the Oppies by winning both races to take the cup. Scarlett and Paddy each gained a second and third to finish equal on points, with Paddy securing second overall.
Helen was back in winning form in the handicap class and won both races. In the first race, Abi was second and Alex and Caroline Campbell third with the Campbells second and Joy third in the last race. Helen gained first place overall with Abi second and Joy third.
Chris Jones changed her allegiance to the WWSC but David still managed to achieve two firsts giving him the cup. Niall Wallace won the third race with Mike second and Mary third. In the final race, Alan snatched victory on the line — so giving a different winner for each of the four races — Mary was second and Mike third.
Mike was the overall winner, Mary was second and Alan third.
BEMBRIDGE SC
A total of 19 boats took part in racing over the weekend.
The breeze on Saturday was light and variable and at least one change of course was required. Joe Robertson just managed to keep ahead of Tom Scott and finished 13 seconds in front. Becky Samuelson was third only 20 seconds later.
In the One-Designs, John Deacon was nearly two minutes ahead of James Row. Rob Mathieson retired.
Sunday’s breeze was slightly stronger, but the front three in the Redwings replicated Saturday’s race.
It was good to see Andrew Palmer out in his One-Design, coming home first by over a minute and a half ahead of John Deacon and Robin Joy.
The club congratulated Oliver Morgan, Francesca Morgan, Isabella Huber and Beetle Cole for their successes at the BHYC Regatta.
ROYAL VICTORIA YC
A light breeze held up to allow the second in the Harrison Black series last Sunday.
The three newest competitors, twins Tom and Jack McLean and Anthony Moody, joined in but it was the more experienced sailors who dominated, and honours were split. Ben Gibson took the win, with Dominic Mortimer taking second on handicap from Tom Griffiths.
In the fast handicaps, Neil Griffiths and Mark Turner had to be content with second on handicap to Derek Stroud as he added another win The Sheridrews fought hard for their third place in another RS 400.
In the Squibs, another perfect start paid off for David Longford and Angie White, although they faded as the race progressed and the Sinclair-Smiths took overtook and never looked back in the light wind.
Second was the teaming of Jon Evans and Emma Baker, and another late dash put the Gibsons ahead of the Porteobrooks to take third.