Upper Tamar Lake Sailing Club race report — Sunday, April 29

AM Sailboat Two

WITH a cold strong breeze blowing onto the shore from the East, many sailors chose to sit this race out.

However, seven boats made the start line with a sprint towards Dam mark.

The first two around were Nathan Pollard (Laser 4.7) and Jane Anderson (Topper), which happened to be the order in which they finished!

But once the handicaps had been applied this would change. Indeed, whilst brothers Elliot and Jack Pomeroy (Wayfarer) gained four places on the water, they finished last on paper!

The Bosuns of Roger Heasman and Sally Wills, and Brian Pollard with Cilla Gilbert, battled it out sandwiched between the two Toppers of Vicki and John Duncalf, with Vicki Duncalf winning the battle, Brian Pollard coming in next, followed by Heasman and Wills and John Duncalf bringing up the rear.

Winner: Jane Anderson (Topper); Runner-up: Vicki Duncalf (Topper); 3rd: Nathan Pollard (Laser 4.7); 4th: John Duncalf (Topper); 5th: Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert (Bosun); 6th: Roger Heasman and Sally Wills (Bosun), 7th: Elliot and Jack Pomeroy (Wayfarer)

PM Pursuit Two

THE Pursuit race starts off with the slower handicapped boats and sailors going off first, and the rest of the fleet goes off in timed stages according to their previous performances.

It was the Duncalf family in their slower Toppers, who set the race going as they sprinted down to the first mark, followed by Jane Anderson in her Topper five minutes later, Roger Heasman and Sally Wills in their Bosun, Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert in their Bosun, with Nathan in his Laser 4.7 being left the most work to do to make his way up the fleet from the back!

The Duncalfs swapped positions within the first few metres of the start and then John went and touched the first mark, so it was all change again as Vicki nipped in to head the fleet whilst John completed his penalty turn — a position she stoically and determinedly maintained until the end of the 67 minute race, in exceedingly challenging conditions.

After the first lap, positions hadn’t changed, with Nathan Pollard gaining ground at the back, and Anderson gaining on Vicki Duncalf by a minute.

As the wind strength dropped in the second and third laps, John Duncalf retired rather fed up as he’d hit yet another mark.

The rest of the fleet remained spread out, with only Nathan Pollard significantly changing the race order.

Indeed, despite Heasman and Wills’ valiant efforts to hold off his advances, Nathan managed to take third place by the end.

Winner: Vicki Duncalf (Topper); Runner-up: Jane Anderson (Topper); 3rd: Nathan Pollard (Laser 4.7); 4th: Roger Heasman and Sally Wills (Bosun); 5th: Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert (Bosun)

Retired: John Duncalf

Thanks were expressed to Rachel Pomeroy for doing her officer of the day duties and writing the reports.