Upper Tamar Lake Sailing Club Race Report — Sunday August 7

JAMES Pollard made it a Sunday double to follow in the footsteps of Jane Anderson last week, as he held off the respective challenges of Sue Murray and Jane Chadney to win the Tamar 2 and Commodore 4 races held at Upper Tamar Lake Sailing Club on Sunday.

Tamar Two

In the first race of the day, Sue Murray, Commodore of the Club, got off to a superb start as her 4.7 Laser flew to Zebra buoy.

Closely following her over the line were the two Toppers of John and Vicki Duncalf. Alan Comber had been a bit over-optimistic and taken his Enterprise over the line in advance of the horn.

Sue still led approaching West White but James Pollard, flying with some nonchalance a full size Laser sail in force five winds with powerful gusts, undertook her at the mark and led from then on.

Jane Chadney (Laser 4.7) led the rest of the field on the reach to the top of the lake followed by the two Bosun’s of Adam Hilton with John Dabbs and John Buckett’s jolly party of Cilla Gilbert and Brian Pollard.

At the end of the lap the three Lasers led, the Hilton/Dabbs Bosun was fourth, Roger Heasman had got his Streaker Wave up to fifth BS John Savage’s Solo was sixth. Paul Whybrow in his Solo lost a lot of ground returning to go around a forgotten Dam Green buoy.

On the second lap Roger, on starboard tack, caught the Hilton/Dabbs Bosun on port and got past at West White.

The winds were increasing. John Buckett got stuck in irons and did things to Alan Comber’s mainsail which caused him to retire. By the end of lap four, the storming Pollard Laser had lapped five boats at the tail of the field!

1. J Pollard (Laser); 2. S Murray (Laser 4.7); 3. J Chadney (Laser 4.7); 4. V Duncalf (Topper); 5. J Duncalf (Topper)

6. R Heasman (Streaker Wave); 7. A Hilton, J Dabbs (Bosun); 8. J Buckett, C Gilbert, B Pollard (Bosun); 9. J Savage (Laser); 10. P Whybrow (Solo); Retired: A Comber, J Weller (Enterprise)

Commodore Four

Exhaustion from battling the winds reduced the field to seven with Jane Chadney, Adam Hilton and James Pollard away first.

James soon took the lead while fleet spread out on the way to Far Buoy.

Anything that could get up on the plane did so returning across the centre of the Lake, even the Bosun’s threatened to lift their bows.

Jane Chadney miraculously saved her Laser from capsize on the approach to the line and on lap two the Hilton/Dabbs Bosun, caught by a gust during the gybe at Far, narrowly avoided broaching.

Vicki Duncalf was getting closer and closer to this remaining Bosun (the John Buckett party having given up the struggle against the wind) and managed to overtake, only to be re-passed on the run-up to the finish. The handicap took her up two places to third.

1. J Pollard (Laser); 2. J Chadney (Laser 4.7); 3. V Duncalf (Topper); 4. J Duncalf (Topper); 5. A Hilton, J Dabbs (Bosun); 6. A Comber, J Weller (Enterprise); Retired: J Buckett, C Gilbert, B Pollard (Bosun)

Thanks were expressed to Bob Sampson and Nathan Pollard who were joint Officers of the Day.