The weather was the main focus of HSC’s sailing over the weekend, which saw several activities take place. Saturday afternoon was the start of keelboat weekend, sailed on the river – with overcast skies and torrential downpours doing their best to discourage the sailors, but the keen ones still ventured out undeterred.
In the strongest fleet of the weekend, the Yeomans, seven participated, with some of the Club’s younger sailors, Hamish Harmer and James Street in Amethyst, showing the fleet how it was done in the first race with a win, following this up with a second place, the second win going to Roger Pettit and Barbara Stevens in Anoah. Also receiving a second place on Saturday were Steve and Val Middleditch in Scorpio. The Yare & Bures saw Kim West and James Pettit take two wins from Alastair Fields and Kevin Blackwell in Rosy Wave. Peter Coles and Shirley Needham made it two wins in the Rebels.
At the conclusion of the formal racing on Saturday, the Club’s annual pursuit race was competed for in everything from Toppers to much larger keelboats. First away were the Toppers in very little breeze, before the wind picked up for the remainder of the starts. Despite close competition, it proved to be a good day for Hamish, who won the race, this time sailing his Splash dinghy, with his crew from earlier James Street (Laser) hot on his heels, and Kim West’s Yare & Bure Nevada Blue not far behind.
Sunday saw racing shift to the river from the Broad with three back-to-back races and thankfully was (on the whole) drier and breezier than forecast. The Reedlings saw Robert Hancock and Tom Roberts take three wins, ahead of Chris Mayo and Steve Longhurst in Bulrush, with Peter Coles adding another win to the previous day’s success in the Rebel to win the fleet over the weekend, ahead of Kevin and Jo Edwards (Rebel Maid) with two wins.
The Yeomans remained close – two wins from Paul Clarke and Andy Tabiner in Two C Sons were not enough to snatch victory from Hamish (this time sailing with Jasmine Herring), who won overall by one point from Roger Pettit. Third overall were Steve Middleditch and Maria Spreadbury, who finished the day with a win.
All three podium finishes from Kim West (sailing with James Pettit and Anya Gittins) secured him the weekend over Alastair Fields with a first and second, despite strong competition and several photo finishes between the two, and additionally a first place from James Street and Jasper Richardson (in Moon Moth).
As competitors were packing away, the thunder started to rumble, along with torrential rain – racing having finished just in time!
