We are the champions-almost!

A very light easterly combined with a large spring tide required the full concentration of the 14 visitors who joined 11 GP14s from the home club for the 6th round of the 2009 Travellers series. On a day when local knowledge would play a part  Race Officer Nick Green set courses inside the Tollesbury fleet (a tidal lagoon off the main Blackwater estuary). Race 1 was dominated by Allan Hawtin / Arthur Brookes from the home club who neatly avoided the flooding tide in the main channels on either side of the upwind leg and were not challenged by James Ward /Richard Whitehill and David Innes /Jon Denyer who were 2nd and 3rd. With a little more breeze for Race 2 the first beat was closely contested by the leading group, Ben Kaplan /Chris Lomax led round the top mark, the following group did not all stay in the strongest tide allowing Richard Lord /Sue Burridge and George Rogers /Jilly Wilkinson to come through. Unfortunately Kaplan missed the next upwind gate handing the lead to Lord; Steve Corbet/ Steve Browne were 3rd with Hawtin 4th. With the tide ebbing strongly Race 3 got underway after a recall; Lord used the tide on the right to lead after the first beat, he maintained his advantage by hugging the edges of the marsh downwind, although closely followed by Kaplan with Rogers 3rd. So after 4 hours racing Richard repeated his success of last year- there was just sufficient wind (and water!) for the fleet to return up Woodrolfe creek to the club for much needed refreshments.

Results:
1.14030 Richard Lord and Sue Burridge Seahorse SC 2pts
2. 12592 Allan Hawtin and Arthur Brookes Tollesbury SC 5pts
3. 13958 George Rogers and Jilly Wilkinson Tollesbury SC 5pts
4. 13855 Ben Kaplan and Chris Lomax Seahorse SC 6 pts
5. 13316 James Ward and Richard Whitehill Papercourt SC 6pts
6. 13708 David Innes and Jon Denyer Frensham Pond SC 8pts
Series 1 prize:13003 Steve Corbet and Steve Browne Leigh on Sea SC

Click here for the detailed list of results