RS Elites at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week Day 3
by Martin Wadhams 8 Aug 2011 22:06 BST
6-13 August 2011
It was a day of fantastic racing in the RS Elite class at Cowes today with the outcome still in doubt in the final yards of the race.
Steve Powell's E'Tu took the early lead, but as the leading three boats concentrated on each other Pippa Wilson in Matterhorn Jack broke right and picked up a big right hander to run-around them and lead at the top mark. On a long fetch RSsailing.com rolled E'Tu to climb into second and then as the wind built the leaders were flat out downwind three abreast.
Another beat was followed by a total blast three sail reach and RS drove high and fast into the lead, with E'Tu also overtaking Matterhorn Jack. Around the last mark RS led but as the fleet closed the shore for a final short tack beat in 25 knots of breeze the traffic was dense. Pippa's class showed and she picked through to grab the lead when it counted with the big boys in E'Tu also getting across RS to take second on the line by just 5 seconds.
However the big news tonight is that the Brown's lack lustre 4th (by their standards) in Aeolus was linked to Jono's distraction due to falling in love. More news is likely to break later in the week.
Results after Day 3:
1st Matterhorn Jack, Pippa & Roger Wilson & Ross, 4pts
2nd RSsailing.com, Martin & Amanda Wadhams & Paul Fisk, 7pts
3rd Aeolus, Jono, Lyn &David Brown, 9pts
4th E'Tu, Buzz Keck, Steve Powell & Botty, 11pts