Upper Tamar Lake Sailing Club race report — Sunday, March 4

Barnwell One

AFTER days of snow and blizzards, Sunday was sunny and warm which enticed four boats onto the water for the first race of the year at Upper Tamar Lake.

Two failed to hear the starting claxon; John Dabbs in his Gull returned to the right side of the line and therefore began the race a long way behind.

Adam Hilton in his Solo realised that the race must have started, took advantage of the lead which his position on the lake happened to have to have given him and continued, expecting disqualification.

The RS 200 of Bob Sampson and Sue Murray soon overtook the rogue Solo and, on the beat back from Pinkie, so did Nathan Pollard’s Laser 4.7.

Sampson and Murray kept their lead with a lengthening gap back to the Laser but the other two boats retired, victims of the strong and unpredictable gusts of wind that had developed.

John Dabbs had capsized and sailed home on the first lap; Hilton was upended by the gybe at Pinkie on lap two.

Winners: Bob Sampson and Sue Murray (RS 200); Runners-up: Nathan Pollard (Laser 4.7)

Retired: John Dabbs (Gull) and Adam Hilton (Solo)