National 12 Burton Week at Brixham Yacht Club - Day 4

Race 4

The forecast was for another toasty day with beaming sunshine - yippee! Unfortunately the wind forecast was not so good, 5 knots from the north east and little prospect of a sea breeze as a result. The strongest wind of the day was forecast for around lunch time so the race officer postponed for an hour, which gave the fleet time to recover from the championship dinner the night before.

When the fleet got to the starting area there was indeed an nice stable breeze from the north east. After just one start and the raising of the round the ends flag the fleet behaved and got away cleanly. Antony & Jo Gifford looked good playing the shifts up the right of the beat. Caroline Martin & Andy Douglas were looking good on the left of the beat. Tom Stewart & Liz Ross popped out of the right hand side into the top pack in the final quarter of the beat.

In the end it was Graham Camm & Zoe Ballantyne who made it into the lead at the windward mark having made use of the shifts up the middle. A close bunch followed round the windward mark led by Jo Richards & Holly Scott,including Antony & Jo Gifford, Tom Stewart & Liz Ross, Paul & Guy Pelling and Caroline Martin & Andy Douglas. There were 3 yellow buoys in the bay to choose for the gybe mark and the fleet struggled to decide which one to go for. Eventually the other gybe marks were moved by the other race teams operating in the bay leaving one for the 12s clearly indicated.

With a tight pack the run of the P course proved challenging, not helped by the light winds and the tide. Jo & Holly kept their second place, whilst Tom & Liz pulled through into third playing the left of the run in slightly more breeze.

Jo & Holly kept Tom & Liz behind for the next two laps, but on the third beat Tom & Liz pulled through on a series of good shifts on the approach to the windward mark. Tom & Liz pressed on in an attempt to catch Graham & Zoe. Big holes were developing across the race course as the wind died (as forecast) giving Tom & Liz some opportunities to catch up. Graham & Zoe however kept their lead to take the race.

Race 4 Results:

1st Graham Camm & Zoe Ballantyne
2nd Tom Stewart & Liz Ross
3rd Jo Richards & Holly Scott
4th Paul & Guy Pelling
5th Antony & Jo Gifford

Results after Day 4: