Swallow Norman Moore Trophy at Itchenor Sailing Club

A weekend of contrasting wind strengths but sunshine throughout delivered the first major trophy win for Osprey, the newest Swallow in the Itchenor Sailing Club fleet crewed by a talented team of ex-International 14 dinghy sailors.

The North Easterly breeze on Saturday built during the day such that in the second race it was over 20 knots throughout and finished with a 28 knot gust. James Hartley, helm of Osprey, was uncertain how they might perform in this first outing in a decent breeze. However, they need not have worried as they slipped past Gwaihir (Mike Wigmore) on the first downwind leg of an entertaining high water course expertly set by PRO David Priscott and his team. It was Skua (Harry Roome) that completed the first race podium.

Racing toward low water in the afternoon was challenging as the wind drove the ebbing tide ever faster out of the harbour making for fast, exhilarating runs and hard work for the windward legs. Skua got well away at the start and extended her lead with Osprey 2ndand Gwaihir a somewhat uncharacteristic 3rd. From the distant finish line back to the moorings was a long slog but tea-time at Itchenor is always a great reviver.

By contrast there was little or no wind on Sunday morning for the remaining three races of the five race trophy series. After a prudent delay ashore the stirrings of a Northerly breeze triggered a rush to get afloat but this immediately faltered as a light sea breeze became established. After a postponement, the first of two back-to-back morning races was started over an hour late but in a stable light wind. Two boats were over the line and failed to return, one Gwaihir, and Skua went back needlessly too but still recovered to finish 5th. Curlew (Simon Slater) pulled off a blinder on the downwind leg of this windward/leeward course to record a well-deserved race win after Gwaihir was greeted by a stony silence on the finish line. Osprey slid home in 2ndand Solitude (Andrew Reid) was rewarded for a steady weekend's sailing with 3rdplace.

In what turned out to be the final race, Osprey put the Trophy out of the reach of others with another race win, Skua came 2ndand Curlew secured 3rd. With the gathering ebb, a still wobbly breeze, the Trophy effectively won with a race to spare and almost six hours afloat it was decided not to sail the final race.

Overall Results:

1st 95 Osprey (James Hartley, Jeremy Sibthorp and Rob Sutherland) 4pts
2nd 3 Skua (Harry and Prue Roome, Peter Barker) 6pts
3rd 93 Gwaihir (Mike Wigmore, Mark Struckett and Charles Hyatt) 9pts