Phantom Open at Burghfield Sailing Club

Burghfield Sailing Club held its first Phantom Open for five years, and with an entry of 17 boats and a growing local fleet we can look forward to many more in the future.

In the first race, in a Force 3, local sailor Alex Reeve led from the start, chased by local hot-shot Brian Powell. But Simon Hawkes from Chew Valley was recovering from a poor start to make rapid progress through the fleet, eventually pulling past Powell on the beat but not quite catching Reeve.

In the second race Powell opted to attach his boat to the outer distance mark, leaving Reeve chasing Hawkes. Gradually Hawkes pulled away, while Powell climbed through the fleet into second, and Reeve and Rob Starling, more normally seen in a Laser, contested third. After some place changing behind Hawkes, Powell took second, Reeve third and Starling fourth.

The wind was dying in the final race, and this time it was Reeve's turn to mess up the start and take a 720. Hawkes pulled through into the lead with Powell, Starling and Mark Weston from West Riding giving very slow chase. In shifty conditions Reeve recovered to round the last mark behind Hawkes, and a bunched fleet split left and right on the last beat. Reeve and Hawkes went left and it initially appeared to pay, but as they approached the line the right side started to fill-in and lift, and Powell crossed first followed by Weston, Reeve, Hawkes and then Starling.

With one point separating the first three it was very close, but in the end Powell won the event as he won the final race, with Hawkes second and Reeve third.