A mirror like morning lake was not reflecting the longer term forecast, but the wind quickly filled in for the 18 boats racing in the annual Viking Trophy which is awarded to the best performing team of three. However, the wind quickly filled in to provide some great racing conditions, though a squall during the first start made everyone wonder how many races we would manage to get in.
The squall did pass through, but the base wind level remained force 4. The gusts flattened one or two boats, and consequently shredded a spinnaker! No one chanced flying a spinnaker on the reaches, not that there was a need to, but they were flown on the runs, with some spectacular planing conditions.
The first two races were led by Simon Longstaff/Jon Denwood and Neil Currie/Rory Yardley, but Steve Goacher/Tim Harper quietly pulled through to win both races, and he led the final race from the start, with Mark Somerville/Mike Cowan securing a good 2nd place. Not surprisingly, Steve’s team are overnight leaders.
As can be seen, Sally thoroughly enjoyed herself, and never gave a thought to her panda eyes!
Would the winds be kind so we can get the two remaining races in? No chance! If Steve Goacher says it’s windy, is anyone going to challenge him?! So the overnight results stand, despite Simon Longstaff trying to manipulate an alternate resolution…
| FF Team Racing Team Scores 2017 | ||||||
| R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | ||
| Best and the Worst | 12 | 11 | 18 | 41 | ||
| The Committee | 20 | 17 | 16 | 53 | ||
| The Octonauts | 21 | 23 | 18 | 62 | ||
| King’s Team | 29 | 34 | 31 | 94 | ||
| The Old Codgers | 45 | 42 | 44 | 131 | ||
| Tower Boys | 44 | 47 | 45 | 136 | ||
After packing up their boats, there was an early prize giving in which everyone was a winner. In a close run contest, Ian Preston would have been awarded the Grotty Potty for having his boat pre-launched (well the tide came in to almost have it floating), but he was disqualified by not entering, so Athol King antics of falling out of his boat four times put him in pole position ahead of Mike Moore who was knocked out of the boat, hung on by a leg and holding the tiller, but struggled to pull his head out of the water!
Ian Preston got another mention from his friends at Blackpool and Fleetwood for failing to provide the breakfast bacon baps they had travelled all this way to enjoy!
In support of Countryfile’s nationwide ramble for Children in Need, all the sailors sponsored Jon Denwood who has gone for a ramble around Sale Fell with Neil Currie. Contact him if you want to sponsor his efforts.