Flying Fifteen Winter Series at Parkstone Yacht Club - Day 8

Saturday the 29th was a 2 race day at Parkstone. The day dawned with fantastic sunshine and 10 knots. Where else would you rather be?

By race time the wind was down to 8 knots and on a declining pattern. The first race was race 9 of the Autumn series and 18 boats started on a great box course (beat, reach, run, reach, beat) for 3 laps. Dave Tabb and Chewey Sherrell led at the first mark after a close rounding inside Crispin Read Wilson. They promptly sailed high to the wrong mark letting the fleet get back in front. After the first round 8 boats crossed the line together with Bob Alexander and Huw Willets having extended out front. By the weather mark Alexander led with Read Wilson and Tabb close behind. These 3 battled it out to the end in the dying wind with a very close finish of 5 seconds separating the 3 boats. The final result was 1st Crispin Read Wilson and Steve Brown followed by Bob Alexander and Huw Willetts. In 3rd was David Tabb and Chewey Sherrell. 20 seconds later came 4th and 5th with 2 hoots as they crossed almost simultaneously. Great racing in a very close fleet.

The second race was for the short mini series. David and Carol Duke showed their light air skills to lead by a good margin at the weather mark from Graham and Ben Scroggie who were overlapped by Dave Tabb and Chewey Sherrell. After the weather mark the wind almost died completely and it was with great skill that David and Carol kept their boat moving to record a well-deserved first. They were followed home by Steve Randle this week sailing with Graham Latham and in 3rd was the consistent Crispin Read Wilson and Steve Brown.