Upper Tamar Lake Sailing Club race report — Sunday, August 20

Tamar 7

THERE was a good start from a whole bunch of racers making it difficult for John Duncalf, the Officer of the Day, to say who crossed the line first.

The photographic evidence suggested it was either James Pollard in his full-sailed Laser or Jane Anderson in her Topper.

The winds were never of quite the strength forecast and were southerly, so the start was towards the dam with, after Dam Green was rounded, a long run to West and another to Far.

The beat back accounted for many of the changes of place. James Pollard was first to West with Bob Sampson (Laser) following, but Sampson was ahead at the end of the lap, due in part to Pollard’s very fast dry capsize on the way up the lake.

Sampson was down to second at the end of lap two but had got into the lead again at the finish.

A pair of Laser Radials followed the leaders with Penny Abbott consistently third and Nathan Pollard fourth.

Sue Murray’s little 4.7 threatened behind them and Linda Spiller in another Radial swapped places a time or two with Adam Hilton’s Solo.

Jane Anderson’s Topper, slipping along in eighth on the water, was promoted to second by the handicap.

Winner: Bob Sampson (Laser); Runner-up: Jane Anderson (Topper); 3rd: J Pollard (Laser); 4th: P Abbott (Laser Radial); 5th: S Murray (Laser 4.7); 6th: V Duncalf (Topper); 7th: N Pollard (Laser Radial); 8th: A Hilton (Solo); 9th: L Spiller (Laser Radial); 10th: B Pollard & C Gilbert (Tasar); Retired: R Spiller (Streaker)

Ladies/Gents/Junior/Gosling Cups 5

NINE boats started in a freshening wind with violent and short-lived gusts.

James Pollard started first and was already using the clean air to pull out a lead as they rounded Dam Green.

He increased it as the race went on and finished nearly four minutes ahead of Bob Sampson who had been harried by the smaller-sailed Lasers of Sue Murray (4.7) and Nathan Pollard (Radial). The handicap rewarded Sue’s fine race with second place.

Laps were a good two minutes quicker than in the first race but the rain threatened to swamp the boats.

The two Toppers finished a couple of minutes apart in sixth and seventh with the Tasar, which never really found its pace, in eighth.

Winner: James Pollard (Laser); Runner-up: Sue Murray (Laser 4.7); 3rd: J Anderson (Topper); 4th: B Sampson (Laser); 5th: V Duncalf (Topper); 6th: N Pollard (Laser); 7th: A Hilton (Solo); 8th: B Pollard & C Gilbert (Tasar)

Retired: P Whybrow (Solo)

Thanks were expressed to John Duncalf for officiating and to Mandy Pollard for the photography.