Winners of Bembridge Sailing Club’s Vernon’s Easter Cup.
SAILINGRUDY Jurg ditched chocolate indulgences to win Bembridge Sailing Club’s Vernon’s Easter Cup, on Sunday.
On Saturday, although a wind was barely visible on the water, the boats moved and Raymond Simonds won comfortably. Light airs specialist Andrew Christie was second and Nick Wakefield posted his best result this season in third.
The following day, a light south-westerly breeze greeted competitors.
After a lot of place changing, Jurg took the gun followed by Nick Foden Patterson and Mark Downer.
In the second race, Alasdair Spear Cole took an early lead but with a little luck and favourable shifts Jurg took the lead and gun again.
In the last race it was Downer and Jurg fighting for the overall prize but after a close battle, Jurg took his third win of the day, with Mark in second and wife, Jo, third.
This was enough to earn Jurg the cup, with Christie second and Mark Downer third.
Royal Victoria YC
A strong and gusting Force 6 deterred all but the most ardent racers for the first of the Bank Holiday series at the club on Monday.
Three Squibs made it to the start line and Aquabat (Steve Warren-Smith and Becky Pontin) made a clean break from Firecracker Too (Andrew Porteous and Jerry Westbrook) and Kestrel (David Longford and Angie White).
The order stayed the same until Firecracker overtook Aquabat, but after gear failure for Firecracker, Aquabat retook the lead and the win. Kestrel retired.
In the fast group, Fred Warren-Smith, in his Laser 4.7, took handicap honours from Jim McMillan and George Downer in their full-rig Lasers.
The previous day, a gentle south-westerly greeted the large fleet. Eight squibs made for a congested start line with Hussar (Martin Harrison) and Incognito (John Waterman) being squeezed out, but Beatrice (Sally Hardman) got away cleanly.
In the end, however, Hussar took the win from Firecracker Too (Andrew Porteous) and Satu (The Gibsons).
A large fleet of fast dinghies were next off, the RS 400 of Neil Griffiths soon opening a clear lead.
However, Nigel Talbot and Derek Stroud’s battle soon caught the eye, with Stroud slowly opening up a clear gap to take honours on handicap from the RS400, with Jim Macmillan coming in next in his laser full rig.
In the Oppie fleet, Harry White won from Alex Downer and Charlie White.
Gurnard SC
Yet more light winds were served up for racing on Easter Sunday, this time with a ferocious spring tide.
James Downer worked his RS400 well to establish a winning lead in race one but lost out in race two to Paul Bowen and Graham Deegan.
Laurie Gustar had to settle for second behind Robin Leather with Paul Jennings third. In race two, Jennings was able to jump a place to finish close behind Leather.
The fast group saw Keith Hayden finishing with a two-minute lead over Martin Scott and Steve Cole.
The Lasers were slowed by the incoming tide and their course was shortened. Martin Bean’s full rig finished far enough in front of Libby Deegan’s Radial to beat the handicap but third-placed Josh Peckham had to concede to Harry Blowers.
The medium fleet were split on a technicality, with Giles Peckham and Phil Wright filling the top spots. Dawn Bee’s determined start was carried through to a first in the final group, with Kate and Tom Gibbs and S. Metcalf filling the minor placings.
Easter Monday sailing was cancelled.
Brading Haven YC
Only three boats braved horrendous conditions for the final round of Brading Haven Yacht Club’s Easter series on Monday.
Gusting Force 5 to 6 winds and sideways rain did not put off Simon Cooper, Steve de Boise and Richard Coleman.
Cooper, in his Laser, was the first to take a ducking before the gun was fired, with de Boise ending up with a flooded boat as the gun was sounded for the start.
Cooper took line honours but Coleman won on handicap.
On Friday, a four-boat fast handicap race was won on handicap by Gareth Jones from Ken Ratcliffe and de Boise.
In the slow fleet, Graham Sutton beat Anne Barlow in the Scow race, and Robin Lobb won the slow handicap.
The light winds and high spring tide on Saturday provided a huge challenge. Cadet Sam Spencer-Brading was one of a number of boats to find himself going backwards and choosing to retire. In the end, Jones won from Roger Herbert and de Boise, with Oliver Morgan beating Sutton and Ben Smith in the Scows.
Racing was restricted to the harbour on Sunday.
The race was initially dominated by the Solos, with Jones and Coleman sailing tack for tack right up until the last lap, when Herbert made his move and took the gun a minute ahead of Coleman. Coleman took the race on handicap followed by Jones and Herbert. The Scows were similarly close with Sutton beating Barlow by 30 seconds, with Morgan back in third.