Horning Sailing Club enjoyed the weekend’s racing in the May sunshine, with several events taking place. Sunday saw a Down River race to Thurne leave from Horning in a light breeze, with the leg towards Thurne being mainly a reach and run with the tide. The gentle breeze meant that there was no turning buoy towards Acle, the competitors making their way directly to Thurne, with first boat to reach the iconic white windmill being Peter Goshawk’s Sailing Cruiser Grayling in a little under an hour, followed by Robert Harris’s Rushmere and Phil Montague’s Pickle. On handicap, Grayling was first, with Pickle second and Rushmere third. A short while later the mixed fleet of keelboats and dinghies arrived. First over the water was Kim West’s Rebel, with Clive Gardner’s Yare & Bure Hairstreak first on handicap.
By the return leg, as forecast, the breeze had dropped, making progress slow for the beat back - which required the OOD to go out on a dory in search of the boats, finding the fleet just beyond Cockshoot Broad – when the wind swung round to a reach/run and suddenly picked up, providing an exciting finish. It was incredibly close between the Cruisers, with a little over 30 seconds separating all the finishers. On handicap, Pickle was first, followed by Rushmere, with Grayling third. First keelboat over the water and on handicap was Rebel. The latest Down River results can be found here - overall, and fleets.
Meanwhile, on the river, some ten dinghies enjoyed close racing in Toppers and a Laser. With the river busy and the wind changeable, large changes in the fleet took place on each lap, with those at the front ending up at the back, and vice versa. The first race saw Preston Childerhouse take first in his Laser, with Hamish Harmer second (Topper) and Oliver Childerhouse third (Topper). The second race saw a win from William Woolston (Topper), Oliver second (Topper), and Jasper Richardson third (Topper). The final race was won by Jasper, with Hamish second and William third.
Next weekend there will be a Single-Handed Open Event taking place on Saturday 8th May, with Club racing returning to the river on Sunday 9th May.