Upper Tamar Lake Sailing Club race report — Sunday, July 16

Tamar 5

FOUR sailors braved the murk after a delayed start due to thick fog where even the start line buoys could not be seen from the clubhouse.

Nathan Pollard was quickest off the mark in his Laser Radial, closely followed by Vikki Duncalf (Topper), Brian and James Pollard (Tasar) with Geoff Flloyd (Solo) who was the last competitor to cross the start line. Nathan Pollard initially passed Vikki and then was passed himself by his dad and brother’s Tasar, who also took the lead on the beat to West.

On the downwind leg back to the dam, Nathan Pollard stayed on his dad’s shirt tails and with a deft touch managed to retake the lead squeezing around Dam Green and cross the start line in first position.

His glory however, was short lived as Brian and James Pollard retook the lead in the last positional change of the race on the beat back to West.

In the meantime, Flloyd was slowly catching Duncalf, finally getting the better of her smaller sail whilst passing Zebra on the run to Dam Green to gain third place. After all of the initial excitement, the gaps between the boats slowly increased with the two slower boats both being lapped in the latter stages of the race. Line honours went to Brian and James Pollard followed closely by Nathan Pollard. Geoff and finally Vikki both crossed the line a few minutes later.

However, once the handicap has been applied, it was Nathan Pollard who claimed the laurel wreath.

Results —

Winner: Nathan Pollard (Laser Radial);

Runner-up: Vikki Duncalf (Topper); 3rd: B & J Pollard (Tasar); 4th: G Flloyd (Solo)

Gosling 4 (Ladies/Gents/Juniors)

THE same four sailors again took to the water in defiant mood (They were wet anyway)!

The outlook seemed brighter and at first the wind was fair but became lighter as the afternoon race progressed.

A great start by James Pollard (now helming) and dad Brian gave them a lead that they did not relinquish at any stage.

The other boats crossed the start almost together and Duncalf was soon passed by Nathan Pollard (Laser Radial) and Flloyd (Solo) in her Topper but by some careful sailing managed to point a lot closer to the wind than either of them and almost managed to regain second spot again but for a spurt from Nathan Pollard, which left her third at West mark.

The placings of the morning were soon resumed as Flloyd once again got the better of Duncalf and the line-up of James and Brian Pollard (Tasar), Nathan Pollard (Laser Radial), Flloyd (Solo) and Duncalf (Topper) continued for the rest of the race although with the lighter airs seemed to favour the Solo and Topper.

Results —

Winner: Vikki Duncalf (Topper); Runner-up: Nathan Pollard (Laser Radial); Joint third: G Flloyd (Solo) and J & B Pollard (Tasar)