Wednesday XOD Series at Royal Lymington Yacht Club - Race 18

Unseasonal cold, damp conditions, due in part to the light northerly breeze, greeted competitors for the Wednesday afternoon race.

In view of the wind direction the race committee set an interesting course over to the island shore, with a running start to Number 8 buoy off Yarmouth, a beat back to G, a down wind leg to a moveable mark beyond F, and beat back to platform finish.

The flood tide favoured the inner end at the start sweeping the fleet to the east. Madcap, Diana, N1 and Crumpet were all in contention with Crumpet rounding Number 8 buoy first and Madcap second.

Crossing the Solent to C, Crumpet and Madcap went predominantly easterly while Venus and Julia coming from behind took a long port tack over to the mainland shore gaining advantage from the breeze that had been forecasted to go left. When they tacked to starboard they were lifted up to the mark rounding in first and second place ahead of Crumpet and Madcap.

There followed a run to a moveable mark in the middle of the Solent beyond mark F. Venus had a substantial lead which enabled her to stay ahead despite spinnaker problems which they resolved. Crumpet and Madcap overtook Julia to round second and third.

Going into the final beat it paid to go left which Venus and Julia did with Venus finishing a well deserved first, Julia second and Crumpet third. Madcap was 4th, and Red Coral 5th.

Full Lymington XOD Series Results can be found here.