Solo Eastern and Thames Valley Series at King George Sailing Club

Solo Eastern and Thames Valley Series at King George © Anya Horey

Clear sunny skies and 10 knots of wind greeted the Solo fleet to King George Sailing Club for the combined Eastern / Thames Valley event.

Race one got away first time with Vince Horey rounding the windward mark first followed by Mark Maskell and Stephen Bishop. Horey fell into a hole at the gybe mark and Maskell got an overlap and lead down the second reach. The Bishop Family manged to hit one another and the mark and where involved in penalty turns of both versions between them leaving Keith Smith in 3rd. Horey passed Maskell up the next beat and lead round the final lap with Steve Ede moving through the fleet to 3rd. Horey and Maskell again fell into a hole a the gybe mark which ede made the most of and claimed an overlap. these 3 boats battled it down the last reach letting Alan Bishop sail low. Ede managed to cross the line in front of the fast finishing Bishop with Horey 3rd.

Race two and the course was extended. Mark Maskell and Steve Ede went left and looked like they would be first to the windward mark, but Horey and Jarvis Simpson sailed to a large Black cloud on the right and it was Simpson who lead at the windward mark. Alan Bishop passed Simpson on the next lap and went on to win from Ede with Horey again 3rd.

Race 3 and all to play for with Ede and Bishop on the same points so who ever beat who would win the event. Mark Maskell rounded 1st in front of Andrew Boyce with Bishop in 4th and Ede in 6th. Maskell extended his lead and look set to win until he mistake a Triangle and a sausage as two laps and sailed towards the finish line. This left Boyce in the lead with Bishop 2nd. the wind had now increased and Ede was starting to pressure Bishop and finally passed him and Boyce up the beat and went on to win the race and the meeting.

Overall Results: (top ten)

1st 5608 Steve Ede, 2pts 2nd 5723 Alan Bishop, 3pts 3rd 5730 Vince Horey, 6pts 4th 5455 Mark Maskell, 7pts 5th 5666 Andrew Boyce, 9pts 6th 5226 Keith Smith, 12pts 7th 5649 Stephen Bishop, 12pts 8th 5406 Jarvis Simpson, 13pts 9th 5180 Paul Payle, 15pts 10th 4801 Godfrey Clark, 16pts