Etchells Southern Area Championships at Cowes Corinthian Yacht Club

by Cowes Corinthian Yacht Club 8 May 2012 10:33 BST 5-6 May 2012

Nine Etchells turned out for the three races on Saturday, May 5, in the Etchells Spring Series weekend run by Cowes Corinthian YC. They braved a lumpy green sea, drizzly grey skies and a cold north-easterly wind more like November than May, but the pain was rewarded with close racing in steady winds of 13-15 knots. Race officer Ian Lallow set a first-race course over towards the north shore, between Universal Marine and Flying Office, for the first race due to start at 11.30am.

This was postponed for ten minutes, as by 11.20am only three Etchells had arrived. By the start of the first race, seven Etchells had made it across and got off to a good, all-clear start in 13 knots of wind. The fleet was close at the windward mark and separated by just seconds at the leeward mark, but only three boats, Darling S, Palaver and Elvis managed the correct course, by sailing back through the start line. Darling S finished first at the end, but second and third boats across the finish line Gelert and Sumo were unable to benefit from any points owing to their earlier deviation, so second place went to Palaver and third to Andrew Cooper's Elvis, despite finishing seventh.

Elvis turned their fortunes round in the second and third races, leading the field around the buoys and taking first place in both. For the second and third races, Ian Lallow switched to a shorter course, with three windward/leeward laps in around 15 knots of cold but steady north-easterly breeze. Palaver broke a shroud and had to retire just before the end of Race 3, with a tow back to Cowes by the CCYC race RIB. A collision just before the final leeward mark saw Darling S forced to execute a 360 turn and slip down the rankings.

There was tight racing on day 2 with the overall win being decided on race 6 with a late start and tack onto port by Elvis giving Freelance the front running to come 1st with Elvis 2nd. Tied on points Freelance Sailed by Ante Razmilovic won on count back.