GJW Direct Firefly Nationals at Weymouth Sailing Club - Day 3

Day three of the GJW Direct National Firefly Championships was both thrilling and agonising, with giant windshifts, sunshine and showers and some big upsets. The yellow jerseys were swopped between races after Paul and Laura Kameen finished far enough ahead of a Ben and Jenny Vines to clinch and then extend their lead in the champs.

The first race of the day was race two of the series, which had been delayed because of the wind conditions on Sunday. Racing got underway after a couple of false starts for the most prized trophy in the class, the Sussex Silver Firefly. The wind had picked up from the 8 knot forecast to around double that, and after the fleet spread out on the beat the wind died, then filled in from the right hand side. Many of the fleet's top sailors were stranded out of the breeze where they had a fine view of Ed and Lucy Smith from Imperial Poona Yacht club rounding the windward mark first, hoping to reclaim the trophy after winning if for the first time a few years ago. After more giant windshifts and some swift mark moving by the race committee, the rest of the race turned into a series of reaches in a fickle and shifty wind. Despite the lack of any real tacking the game was still on, and some sailors managed to generate their own luck and pull past the Smiths. Eventually young upstarts Dave and Betty Sincock from Restronguet sailing club managed to sneak into the lead, followed by Rob and Mel Sherrington. Paul and Laura Kameen finished third to take the series lead from Ben and Jenny Vines who could only manage 10th.

The second race of the day was a memorable one for many including the race committee who were plagued by false starts. They were doing a brilliant job but every time the fleet were about to get underway the wind would either die or fill in from one side, biasing the start line. After moving the line considerably they finally managed to get a race going only to be rewarded with a whole bunch of boats blocking their view of the line. After changing the preparatory flag for a black version (we are unlikely to see the P flag again this week) the fifth start saw a clutch of boats disqualified as On Course Side. The unfortunate group included past champion and form favourite Stu and Jane Hudson. The wind died yet again and the race was abandoned after a few hundred yards leaving Stu and the others to learn their fate and sail the long beat home alone. 'Pour Encourages les Autres'.

Finally the race got off and a couple of rounds were sailed with a much more steady wind. Barney Smith and Karen Main led briefly before being overtaking by the Kameens to win, stretching their lead in the champs to 7 points. Dave Ellis and Evie Snedker in a welcome return to the class sealed their reputation as light wind snigglers to finish second, their best result so far in the week.

The sailors returned to shore exhausted, and either downbeat or buoyant depending on how the day had turned out. Better a bad day on the water than a good day in the office at least. Fortified by the raucous crews' union and the Helms civilised dinner the 35 strong Firefly fleet look forward to the Sir Ralph Gore Challenge cup tomorrow.