Upper Tamar Lake Sailing Club race report — Sunday, September 18

Commodore Eight

SEVENTEEN boats were enticed onto the water by a bright day with light winds.

The fleet started well with Jane Anderson and Bob Sampson (Laser’s) quickly pulling out a lead on the beat to West White, with only the Solo of Adam Hilton keeping up with the five leading full-sailed Lasers.

Sue Murray and Jane Chadney were soon competing for third in the Laser race out front, while Nathan Pollard led the Topper race from midfield.

Ten minutes into the race the wind dropped leaving the last boats almost stationary at Inlet with the slow progress continuing up to Pinky.

At the end of the lap, the seven Lasers dominated the fleet with only the Solo of Hilton among them in fifth.

Jane Anderson led with Bob Sampson second and Jane Chadney third.

At the of the second lap it was four leading Lasers that came past Home1 on their way towards the dam and Bob Sampson was sneaking the lead from Sue Murray with Jane Anderson in third and Jane Chadney down to fourth.

John Dabbs’ Gull had been slipping past the Toppers lap-by-lap, and finished thirteenth on the water, but the Gull’s highly advantageous handicap took him up to fifth in the results. Another major beneficiary of the handicapping system was Hilton who finished sixth on the water, four minutes after the leader, but was given second place in the results.

1. B Sampson (Laser; 2. A Hilton (Solo); 3. S Murray (Laser); 4. J Anderson (Laser); 5. J Dabbs (Gull); 6. J Chadney (Laser); 7. J Buckett (Otter); 8. J Pollard (Laser); 9. P Abbott (Laser); 10. N Pollard (Topper); 11. G Joyce (Laser); 12. E & R Pomeroy (Wayfarer); 13. V Duncalf (Topper); 14. J Duncalf (Topper); 15. G Floyd (Solo); 16. B Pollard & C Gilbert (Kestrel); 17. J Savage (Solo)

Cup Eight

PAUL Whybrow (Solo) and James Pollard (Laser) led at the start with the other Laser’s left behind at this stage with a variety of approaches to beating to West White on display.

Crossing the middle of the lake to Inlet, the Solo of Adam Hilton momentarily led before being engulfed in a tide of Lasers.

The wind, helpful for once, was sufficient to stop the fleet stringing out too far and soon all the boats were at the top of the lake with Jane Anderson leading the run back down.

But as the second lap developed, the race became more processional with the only close battles being between Nathan Pollard (Topper) and Geof Floyd (Solo) as they approached Inlet and then Jane Chadney closing on, but not quite passing, Bob Sampson (both in Lasers) in the run to Dam Green.

Penny Abbott (Laser) however, managed to move up three places during the second lap!

By the end of the race, Jane Anderson’s lead was a minute over Bob Sampson with Jane Chadney and James Pollard next home.

All the boats finished within fourteen minutes, half the time of the morning race, a reflection of the greater and more reliable wind.

1. J Anderson (Laser); 2. B Sampson (Laser); 3. J Chadney (Laser); 4. N Pollard (Topper); 5. J Dabbs (Gull); 6. J Pollard (Laser); 7. P Whybrow (Solo); 8. A Hilton (Solo); 9.V Duncalf (Topper); 10. P Abbott (Laser); 11. E & R Pomeroy (Wayfarer); 12. B Pollard & C Gilbert (Kestrel); 13. G Floyd (Solo)

Grateful thanks were also extended to the Officer of the Day, Stuart Mealing.