OK Open at Bristol Corinthian Yacht Club
by Terry Curtis 13 Apr 2014 21:52 BST
12 April 2014
Twelve finely tuned athletes arrived at Bristol Corinthian for the OK Dinghy Open meeting on Saturday 12th April. The race team were unable to deliver on the sunshine, but the rain stayed away and they did provide a perfect 15-20 knots on triangle sausage courses.
Jim Hunt from Blithfield lead round the windward mark in race 1, closely persued by local hero Ian Harris and Dave Bourne from Upriver. Hunt slowly consolidated on his lead to take the gun with Harris breaking free from the pack only to be reeled back in on the final triangle. Harris just held on for second with Bourne, Jon Fish, Keith Byers and Terry Curtis all crossing the line in a bunch.
The Bristol Galley team put on a fabulous lunch before the fleet launched in a freshening breeze for the second race. Once again Hunt managed to hustle his way round the windward mark in the lead with Terry Curtis from Weymouth Sailing Club close on his heels with Fish, Bourne and Harris sparring for 3rd place. Hunt was hard pressed by Curtis for 2 laps before he managed to grind out a small lead which he held for his second win. Curtis was 2nd with Bourne 3rd and Fish 4th.
After a short delay the race team managed to get a square line set and the fleet underway for the final race, Hunt again found his way to the front for a comfortable win. There was a ding dong battle for 2nd place, Harris managed to get the better of Bourne and Curtis to take a well earned second overall, with Curtis taking 3rd place from Bourne on the countback.
Many thanks to Bristol Corinthian for providing a cracking days sailing and to the Harris family for their wonderful hospitality over the weekend.
Overall Results: (top six)
1st GBR 2162, Jim Hunt (Blithfield SC)
2nd GBR 522, Ian Harris (Bristol Corinthian)
3rd GBR 2118, Terry Curtis (Weymouth SC)
4th GBR 2157, Dave Bourne (Upriver YC)
5th GBR 2151, Jon Fish (Waldringfield SC)
6th GBR 2084, Keith Byers (Morecambe and Heysham YC)