Buzz class at the Medway Regatta

Seven Buzzes entered this years Medway Regatta and although sharing their start with the fast handicap fleet there was to be plenty of close racing throughout the fleet.

Race one had Medway’s own Stuart Bailey and Zoe Noble leading everyone down river for the first time chased hard by Robert and Isabel Joce from Queen Mary, and Ian Foxwell and Hannah Packman from Wilsonian’s. The race would remain close through out but the long beat back against the tide gave the advantage to the locals with Foxwell and Packman picking the right side of the river to eek out a small lead that they would hold to the line.

Race two had Foxwell and Packman lead the pack all the way down river for the first time but arrived at the furthest point with the lead 4000’s and 600’s plus a whole fleet of Dragons on their way back up river. In the bedlam that ensued Bailey and Noble managed to round the mark and tack off for clean air where they then found a lift that would see them arrive at the next mark first, and with a commanding lead that they would hold comfortably to the finish.

Sunday bought some much stronger and gustier weather which would peak at force seven and understandably this took its toll on the fleet. Foxwell and Packman won race three comfortably with the fleet struggling at times in the physical conditions.

The final race started with a closely fought battle at the front with the two leaders being joined by Andy Pickell and Caroline Alexander. A shorter course was set for this final race and at the halfway stage Bailey and Noble held a slim lead, however everything would change at the final leeward mark where a difficult drop saw them run over their kite and the extra load on the rig snapped their boom. Foxwell and Packman capsized trying to squeeze round inside the stricken boat and so had to settle for second which left Pickell and Alexander alone to take a comfortable victory.

Wilsonian’s sailing club ran a faultless event with some superb organisation both on the water and off and the Buzz fleet would like to thank them for what turned out to be a great event in some very challenging conditions.

Overall Results: