A STRONG and super-gusty southerly, with the sun coming and going, was braved by fourteen sailors in ten boats.

Most were thrown off by the deceits of this wind and only Jane Anderson (cautious in a Topper) crossed the line right on the start time. She was followed by Roger Heasman’s Streaker and then Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert in the club’s Bosun.

By Inlet buoy Heasman had taken the lead and was pulling away with the fleet evenly spread out behind him, with the exception of Adam Hilton in the Solo who was making up places after a pre-start capsize. Speeding up the lake – any boat that could plane did – Alan Comber and John Weller (Enterprise) made gains and Vicki Duncalf’s Topper stuck with the leaders.

The long beat back without set buoys to round was a severe test of seamanship, the continual gusts demanding total concentration.

Roger Heasman ended the lap in the lead but was immediately overtaken by Jane Chadney (Laser 4.7). Jane Anderson was third, the Pollard/Gilbert Bosun was fourth and the Hilton Solo had got up to fifth. Jane Chadney still had a narrow lead over Roger Heasman at the far end of the lake and the two duelled as they tacked back, Jane ultimately sailing the better course. Jane Anderson lost a place to Brian Pollard when she went aground some way out from the Cornwall bank but regained it on the third lap.

John Savage and John Duncalf swapped places a time or two. Despite an unsettling gust before the finish line, Jane Chadney was first with Roger achieving second. After that the hooter gave out and the rest finished their race in silence!

A slightly reduced fleet set out for the afternoon race, started, with the failure of the electric klaxon, with the emergency hunting horn.

Jane Anderson was first away with the two Duncalf Toppers behind her for the first three buoys after which Adam Hilton’s Solo went up to second. Beating back down the lake, multiple choices of course were made by the fleet.

John Duncalf was up to third at the end of the first lap but was then pipped by the Pollard/Gilbert Bosun with Vicki Duncalf a short way back.

Shortly after the turn at Dam Red, Adam Hilton took the lead from Jane Anderson and he still led at the end of lap two, but the vagaries of the wind took him into irons at the next buoy and Brian Pollard and then Jane Anderson went past. The Solo regained a place from the Topper but Brian crossed the finish line first with a sizeable gap behind him. However it was Jane Anderson who had once again come out on top once all the calculations had been made.