North Sails/Gul/Allen Enterprise National Championship at Exe Sailing Club - Day 3

Five races completed at the Gul, Allen Sailing, North Sails, Gul Enterprise National Championship

Big Tuesday caught many competitors by surprise, with the fleet expecting light and sunny conditions from the forecast. How wrong they were! Emerging from the Swash, the fleet were confronted with a building breeze and rapidly increasing waves, making it an extremely challenging day's sailing. The 4th race had an enforced recall after Martin Honnor hit the gate boat; his silent retreat from the fleet contradicting his 'Mr Shouty' nickname!

The next start got off cleanly with Jamie Lea/Thomas Dorr leading, David Jackman/Chris Jackman second. Tim Sadler/Gabe Hill were caught out at the windward mark, and his day didn't improve with a swim at the gybe mark. For many it was champagne conditions, with winds touching on 20 knots and amazing (some would say challenging) waves for downwind surfing; for others it felt more like being inside a washing machine on a rinse cycle. Jamie Lea and the Jackmans battled it out at the front with Lea just taking line honours. Ann Jackson/Alan Skeens showed amazing pace getting third overall, Steve Blackburn/Phil Manning making their first appearance at the top with a fourth and Phil Ford/Jane Humpage fifth.

Chris Palmer & Helen Cummins on day 3 of the Enterprise Nationals at Exe Sailing Club - photo © Martyn Curnow

The fifth race saw some of the fleet caught out with the Race Officer closing the gate promptly at the advertised two minutes. Dave Jackman/Chris Jackman stormed up the beat to round it first, closely followed by James Ward/Katie Ward, Phil Ford/Jane Humpage and Matthew Jaycock/Ivan Jaycock.

With the winds still building and some pretty unpredictable wave patterns, many of the top sailors came to grief including Jamie Lea/Thomas Dorr, Phil Ford/Jane Humpage and numerous others further back down the fleet keeping the efficient Exmouth SC rescue crews on their toes. The Jackmans took the line, with Martin Honnor/Abigail Honnor second, Matthew Jaycock/Ivan Jaycock third, Tim Sadler/Gabe Hill fourth, and Jeremy Stephens/Becca Stephens fifth.

With many sailors exhausted, the postponement and abandoned to be resailed flags for race 6 was much welcomed. Unfortunately this also meant that the fleet had to stay out out on the water for another hour waiting for the tide to come in. Exmouth Sailing Club managed a safe phased return to shore, with batches of boats coming in together down the Swash in between the kite surfers.

The evening ending with the fancy dress BBQ and jazz band Just Misbehavin' featuring Exmouth's Commodore Ted Draper on drums. A welcome day off for the fleet on Wednesday with three races scheduled for Thursday.

Results after day 3: