Island Barn Reservoir Sailing Club

A classic Wednesday evening race - a warm summer evening, force 2 breeze, tending to drop... As advertised [grin]. The track was beat, short shy reach, run, a semi beat come fetch half way up the reservoir and another run back to the start. Did I mention it was nice and warm, without being hot and sweaty?

We had a good turnout of Solos, and a rather competetive start close to the bank without a lot of room on the line. Peter Cotterell went right, Gareth Griffiths and most of the others left. Right looked good early on, but Gareth came through to lead at the end of the first lap - building up quite a healthy margin in fact.

Other fleets were somewhat depleted - the Studland factor I guess. Not much to note about the Laser start, but we had an OCS at the fast fleet start with Fiona and Rob running out of line at the port end and having to go back. However they tacked and ducked back quickly and got back to lead the fast fleet at the end of lap one. There's not a lot you can write an evening like this - it was just a pleasant and relaxing Summer evening race, which doesn't make for good press, but does make for happy sailors...

Results... Well it was something of a Solo night, to say the least... Gareth Griffiths won, followed by Tom Wilson, Peter Cottrell and Mervyn Cinnamond, all in Solos. Chris Smith, in a Laser tonight, followed by Fiona and Rob Fardon completed the top six. The personal handicap top six were Luke Martin (Enterprise), Chris Smith (Laser), Tom Wilson (Solo), Alasdair McLean (RS 200), Peter Cottrell (Solo) and Mervyn Cinnamond (Solo).

Series wise... Gareth Griffiths is clear in the lead now, and only something like a Rule 2 DND could cost him the series according to my calculations. I believe that Mike Curtis is second and Peter Curtis 3rd overall, but thereafter change is more than possible. In the Personal Handicap Series Fiona and Rob Fardon currently lead, but any of the first four or five can overtake them with a win in the last race...