The winners, Mark and Jo Downer. Picture by Katie Freemantle.
SAILINGMARK and Jo Downer successfully defended their title at the annual Illusion Inter Club Team Racing last weekend.
The Island pair dominated Saturday’s races before meeting nearest rivals Bruce Huber and Xander Shaw, the team from the host club, Bembridge Sailing Club, in the finals.
On Saturday, each of the eight teams competing, raced against each other. The Downers won all eight, with Bruce and Xander winning six.
Three teams — Raymond and Colin Simonds (Sea View YC), Ian Southworth and Joe Robertson (Hamble River SC), and Piers and Sue Thomas, racing for Team Thomas SC — all had four wins.
Graham and Julia Bailey, sailing for the Yacht Club de Monaco, Nick Wakefield and Alastair Speare-Cole representing East Wight Combined Clubs, and Andrew Christie and Richard Ambler, sailing for Thames Sailing Club, were at the bottom of the group.
The best-of-five final was between the Downers, and Bruce and Xander, with the Downers winning 3-1.
Southworth and Robert-ston defeated the Simonds brothers to take third place.
Graham and Julia Bailey finished in fifth after beating Piers and Sue Thomas, while Andrew Christie and Richard Ambler beat Nick Wakefield and Alastair Speare-Cole to seventh.