Miracle National Championship at Bala Sailing Club - Day 5

Miracle Nationals at Bala day 5 © John Hunter

Miracle Nationals at Bala day 5 © John Hunter

The Lake was again a sea of glass as the fleet prepared for the last two back-to-back races of the series. As usual the wind came on time, but took a while to settle down and was the lightest of the week.

The first start was a general recall followed by the U flag and then the fleet was clean away. The Southwell team were first round the windward mark with Dave and Rebecca leading Ian and Olivier. John Tippett and Cathy Boulton won the wooden spoon by managing the only capsize of the day, a bit like Simon Reddicliffe who just carelessly fell out of his boat yesterday!

Dave and Rebecca maintained the lead to the gun after a shortened course. The two other top contenders came 8th and 12th. It was good to see David Herbstritt and Josie Airns up in the top ten going well. David and Zara Turtle had taken the shoreside on the first downwind leg and gained several places to take them up to second.

The second race saw David and Zara out in the lead, managing tricky beats well as the wind filled, shifted and faded on a regular basis.

Graham Watts and Helen Jacks continued to sail consistently well with a fourth and a third today. With just four points between them Andrew and Michela Mifsud have to fight off a challenge from David and Rebecca Southwell in the final points race. just behind them the Turtles, Bramelds and Graham and Helen are all just one point apart vying for third place or maybe even the Championship?

Miracle Nationals at Bala day 5 - photo © John Hunter

Wil Hickman not content with rebuilding most of his boat during the week has blagged a nearly new set of sails to replace his damaged and rather worn ones for the last day.

The crews' race after lunch was held in much fresher conditions with Ross and Abigail Southwell in dads borrowed boat leading the other seven boats and beating Michela and Peter Mifsud over the line by a few boat lengths. Then to celebrate he threw his crew out into deep water just short of the jetty! That's gratitude for you or maybe just army training?

Results after Day 5: