A deceptive overcast start to Sunday reminiscent of Autumn, but it was pleasantly warm despite the sun struggling to show its face.
The wind had more southerly in it than Saturday, but tended to have more vicious gusts too! Racing was part of the long series Asymmetric Cup and MJM Trophy. The Asymmetrics had a windward leeward course between A & B, and Joan/Jack took control of the first beat, but the offwind leg split the fleet and William/Lezli-Ann pulled through to the front with the two Vareos on his tail by the start of the next beat. Sale Fell had its effect on the winds and gusts came through each side of the course, but not consistently! Those taking the club house side of the course suffered the most severe gusts, and unusually one caught out Joan/Jack out while reaching down to the leeward mark. Rory happened to notice his shroud had come adrift just before starting the offwind leg, so he sensibly bowed out of the race. Despite various capsizes, Toggle had some good offwind legs and closed the gap on William sufficiently to win on handicap.
The MJM fleet start was delayed due to a comment by Mike Moore on the displayed course A0B. However, his alternate course A1B didn’t prove to be much better! The fleet was led by Mike/Sally in their F15 which was more suited to the blustery conditions as it relentlessly ploughed on through the waves and gusts, but it was Sam Hall in his Laser that mastered the gusts, and beat Mike on handicap by 30secs Mike/Eric finished 3rd. Although their were probably more capsizes in the MJM fleet, not unexpectedly, Nigel Lewis was one of them!
By the afternoon race the wind had swung slightly to the SW, but the gusts were more vicious. Beating to mark 9 is a challenge at the best of times, but the gusts and downdraughts off Sale Fell, with intermittent lulls, made certain it was not a race for the feint hearted! Joan/Jack gracefully bowed out at the end of the first beat. Rory and Toggle took turns at being blown in on the gybes and gusts, but had a very close race, but William/Lezli-Ann had some good, and some frustratingly calm, legs and still went on to win on handicap. Scumper leads the series, with Toggle 2nd.
Neil Garrison opted to race his Dart, but a capsize on the startline was not a good start, and he later retired, as did more than half the fleet! Sam used his skills (and weight) to master the conditions, again beating Mike/Sally with Mike/Eric, who were flattened by a gust on their final lap, 3rd. Sam leads the MJM Trophy with four 1sts.