Dell Quay Sailing Club Longmore Series - Race 2

Dell Quay SC Longmore Series race 2 © Stephen Holcroft

Dell Quay SC Longmore Series race 2 © Stephen Holcroft

There was a great turnout for the second race in the Dell Quay SC Longmore Series on the 14th March 2020. It was brilliant to see fifteen boats starting, including six Solos and five Fireflys, with a great mixture of ages including a number of youngsters in the Fireflys and experience ranging from complete beginners to world champions.

With the wind force four, gusting five, race officer Stephen Holcroft set a simple windward /leeward course taking in Kiln and Longmore then back to Quay over two laps. The Kiln to Longmore stretch provided a challenging and strength sapping upwind beat and long exhilarating downwind runs and reaches back from Longmore to Quay.

The Fireflys of Martin Jones, Andy Knowlson and the Solo of Roger Puttock got off to the best starts from a jam-packed line. The competitors had to navigate through the Chichester YC RS400 open which tested the competitors' observation and navigation skills to the maximum. The Firelfy of Martin Jones and Solo Mark Harper slightly pulled away from pursing pack and both enjoyed close racing to the windward mark of Longmore.

Several competitors capsized in the strong gusts keeping the patrol boats busy. With just over 1hr of racing, Andrew Buchanan in the Finn crossed the line first, closely followed by Mark Harper in his Solo, but it was Harper that came first on Handicap followed by Jones in his Firefly and then Puttock in his Solo.

The Solos lead the series with Stephen Holcroft first, Fred Hilgers second and Peter Binning third. All racing is now postponed at Dell Quay SC until further notice.