GP14 Eurocup Regatta at Carnac, France - Races 3 & 4

Race 3:

Race 3 started in a refreshing Force 3 to 4 again on a brilliantly hot and sunny day. The fleet got away cleanly with Richard Instone/Mark Cheshire from Chase SC and Andy Hately/Keith Dutton from South Staffs to the fore. Again it paid to start at the port end of the start line, tack as soon as possible and head inshore out of the tide. Richard/Mark rounded 1st with Andy/Keith in 2nd, some 50 metres later Tim Harper/Caroline Young from West Lancs tacked inside Paul and Thomas Simes from Cardiff Bay YC at the mark only for Paul and Thomas to pass them on the 1st reach. 5th round was Simon Relph/Richard Brown from Pwllheli SC followed in 6th by Ian Sinclair/Nigel Thornley from Bolton SC and Barcelona YC. These positions stayed the same until Andy/Keith managed to get an inside overlap on Richard/Mark on the run during the 2nd lap and rounded the leeward mark 1st. After another beat and 2 reaches the course was shortened and the race finished at the leeward mark with Andy/Keith 1st, Richard/Mark 2nd, Paul/Thomas 3rd, Tim/Caroline 4th and Simon/Richard 5th.

Moment of the day: Graham and Susan Jones from South Staffs SC under spinnaker sailing to windward of the finishing line, struggling to drop the kite, tack round retrace their course and finally finish about 10 boats later. Some people will do anything to get themselves demoted from Gold to Silver!!

Race 3 Results:

Race 4:

Race 4 started after a short break again in a Force 3 to 4 which had probably risen to Force 5 by the end. The usual suspects got away from the line with Andy Hately/Keith Dutton from South Staff SC rounding the windward mark 1st followed by Richard Instone/Mark Cheshire from Chase SC, Tim Harper/Caroline Young from West Lancs YC, Paul and Thomas Simes from Cardiff Bay YC and with Tim Sprakes/Rebecca Marriot from Frensham Ponds SC in 5th. This was the windward /leeward course again and down the run Tim/Rebecca gained an overlap on Paul/Thomas only to get the spinnaker halyard in a knot, sail the wrong side of the leeward mark, nearly cut Tim/Caroline in two and make Paul/Thomas take avoiding action to miss them! By the time they had regained control they had dropped down to 7th! Not much place changing took place after this but the President Toby Taylor sailing with the Secretary Hilary Davies from South Staffs SC and Chelmarsh SC respectively, finally found some form to finish 6th behind Simon Relph/Richard Brown from Pwllheli SC.After an hours sailing with a freshening breeze the final positions at the windward mark were:

Race 4 Results:

Results after Race 4: