XOD Wednesday Series at Royal Lymington Yacht Club - Race 7

Seventeen XODs were bathed in glorious sunshine for their race on Wednesday and with a lovely SW sea breeze Race Officer Malcolm McKeag set up his committee boat Chinook close to Pylewell lake and ran a 3 lap windward / leeward course close inshore to avoid the strong ebb tide.

The start was convincingly won by Phil & Jo Brewer in X9, Zest, who led at the first mark and throughout the race to the finish. Not far behind were Paul Woodman and Oliver James in X32 Ibex who maintained their second place throughout.

However, behind the leaders there were many place changes particularly as the fleet determined the best way to sail the downwind legs in the strengthening tide. On the first downing leg, X57, Red Coral, Roy Froud & Robert Young, gybed immediately at the mark and sailed the rhumb line making gains against those boats that sailed inshore, however they lost out to X140 Lucrezia, helmed by Ado Jardine, when they hit the mark and had to do a penalty turn. On the subsequent legs all boats elected to run off inshore and the order was largely maintained with everyone enjoying a brilliant afternoon's sailing in champagne conditions!

Race 7 Results: (top five)

1st - X49 Zest - Phil & Jo Brewer
2nd - X32 Ibex - Paul Woodman & Oliver James
3rd - X140 Lucrezia - Ado Jardine
4th - X57 Red Coral - Roy Froud & Robert Young
5th - X48 XL - Rory Paton