Race Report

Saturday was heats 7 and 8 of the Autumn Point Score.  It looked like an absolutely stonking northeast gradient, so everyone rigged their number three sails and reefed their jibs.  But when we got out there, it wasn’t so bad.  BoM recorded it as 17-22kts NNE, with a short peak at 26kts.  Our resident wind-whisperer, Brett Beyer, clocked it at more like 12-20kts for the first race and 7-14kts for the second.  And that’s pretty much how it really was.

The Radials and 4.7s showed exactly how not to start.  Dreadful drift rate management, late bale-outs and even a couple of capsizes on the gun.  The Standards did better.  And eventually everyone was away.  There was some good wave catching to be had with the incoming tide, and that was Race 1.  Race 2 was more interesting.  The Radials didn’t learn, and still botched the start.  This time the wind had died, before some rain came through on the left.  Those who managed the lull and the rain-induced left-hander did very well.  And those who didn’t, didn’t.

Thanks to PRO, Michael Osborne, assisted by Clare Alexander, and to the COTD team of Mark Crowhurst and John Chesterman, helped out by Julian van Aalst and Hugo Knight.  Thanks also to Wade McDonough, who helped Paul, Andrea and Shirley in the canteen.

The winners on adjusted times were:  for the Standards, Steve London ahead of Dave Newman in Race 1 and David Newman ahead of Ian Alexander in Race 2; and for the Radials/4.7s, David Huber ahead of Daryl Lawrence in Race 1 and Zac West ahead of Pat Levy in Race 2.