The Youth Squad has taken to the water for their first race much to Rhonwen’s delight! The winds were a bit on the blustery side, there were some spills but many thrills. There were six boats that left the shore, five made it to the start line, and there were four finishers. It was pleasing that four of the starters had not raced more than a couple of times. Joe Watkins suffered a long capsize when his dagger board came out, but he did rejoin the race and finished.
Lewis Tyson dominated the race having led the race from start to finish, and James Springell and William Coulthard followed through to finish 2nd and 3rd respectively. The next race is in a fortnight. Perhaps the water will be a bit warmer by then!?
As for the big boys, they all were sent around the lake by Sam. They only had to suffer the blustery winds until they reached Scarness then the Sale Fell shadow took over to make the afternoon pennant a real penance!
Steve and Ruth had a big lead at the bottom end, but the wind was not in their favour as they returned. Joan and Jack Hardie kept the wind to bite into Steve’s lead. At Scarness on the return, progress was as dire as ever, and from the shore it seemed as if positions were forever changing between Neil Garrison in his Dart, Steve in an RS400, and Joan in an RS200 who seemed to keep going to take the lead on the water. Toggle in his Vareo made up a lot of ground to finish 2nd on the water in front of Neil. Steve, having retired.
The results were calculated on a personal handicap basis, and it was Toggle that won overall
The morning race was held in some strong winds too. Steve and Ruth, and Bean and Naomi tried a port end start, Steve ducked the fleet but Bean nipped into a gap that wasn’t there and got away with it. William and Elaine tacked out of the way, ended up in irons and capsized shortly after, as did Big E. William did catch Bean up, but not sufficiently to beat him on handicap, as it was Bean that won the race. Mike Fairlamb and Eric Smith won the GP race from Dave and Sarah Nicholson