Derwent Sailing Squadron’s Winter Series began today on a wet and windy morning on the Derwent, with a small fleet of 13 keelboats braving the gloomy forecast.
The SB20 sailors showed more enthusiasm, however, with a fleet of 11 sailing two very closely fought races in the rain-bearing nor’-easter that ranged from 11 knots to 29 knot gusts, but mostly around 16-18 knots.
Despite a strong nor-easter blowing at starting time, most of the fleet set sail with full mains and No 2 headsails and carried spinnakers on the cross-river runs.
Conditions suited Wayne Banks-Smith’s Farr 40 War Games to a tee and she rocketed away on the first windward and leeward legs. However, her fleet winning margin was not sufficient to win the three-boat Division 1 race.
Ian Johnston’s Zephyr won the race on corrected time from Wings Three (Peter Haros) and War Games.
Division 2 attracted seven starters with the J24 another Toy (Latham Syndicate) winning from Vasco (Graeme Harrington) and Wildfire (John Ettershank).
Only three boats started in Division 3 with Serenity (Graham Hall) scoring and outright win from Dynamo (Stephen Davidson) and Kindred Spirit (Peter Alcock).
Seconds separated the top SB20s around the course in both races, with four different boats sharing the spoils in fleet and PHS results.
Michael Cooper’s Export Roo took line honours in race one by just eight seconds from Mind Games (Phil Reid). Just two seconds astern came Big Ted (Thomas Stearnes/Alice Grubb), followed four seconds later by Wicked (Andrew Blakney) and another second to Porco Rosso (Elliott Noye) – just 14 seconds between the first five boats.
In PHS scoring, Big Ted placed first, Mind Games second and wicked third.
Mind Games stepped up a notch in race two, crossing the finish line five seconds ahead of Hypertronics (Stephen Catchpool), followed 22 seconds later by Foreign Object (George Peacock) with wicked two second back. Export Roo came in fifth.
Hypertronics won race two on PHS corrected time from Mind Games and Foreign Object.
Peter Campbell
5 June 2016
