LINDA Spiller took victory once the handicaps had been applied at Upper Tamar Lake.

Nathan Pollard, with nine square metres of sail on his Aero, was first away, first around Dam Green and first from then on.

He needed all that canvas in winds which were very light and very variable in strength and direction.

It was not at all clear who would round the first buoy next, but in the end the Solo of Robin Spiller was just beaten by the last boat to cross the start line, the Solo of Adam Hilton.

The little fleet set off up the Lake with the gentlest of breezes behind it, the Solos being followed by Linda Spiller’s Laser (Full) and the Bosun of Roger Heasman and Dave Perrett. At Pinky all changed. Linda Spiller emerged leading the bunch with the Bosun next and with Robin Spiller leading the Solos.

By the end of the first lap, Linda Spiller’s second place on the water was assured with a six-minute lead over the Bosun. The second lap saw slightly stronger winds, with, for example, Pollard’s Aero about five minutes quicker making the second circuit.

The only change to the order was Hilton’s Solo managing to get past the Heasman/Perrett Bosun. When the handicaps were applied it emerged that Pollard’s Aero had not been far enough ahead of Linda Spiller’s Laser nor had the lead Solo got over the Bosun to claim third place.

The second race was cancelled due to a lack of wind.

Results: 1 Linda Spiller (Laser Full); 2 Nathan Pollard (Aero 9); 3 Roger Heasman and Dave Perrett (Bosun); 4 Adam Hilton (Solo); 5 Robin Spiller (Solo).

Grateful thanks were extended to Brian Pollard and Natasha Routley in the safety boat, to officer of the day Jane Anderson and to photographer Mandy Pollard.