Shifting conditions make for interesting Draycote Water Pursuit Race

Draycote Water SC Pursuit race winner, Harry McVicar, receives the John Siggers Trophy from John Siggers himself, with John's grandson looking on © Ian Macwhinnie

Shifting conditions in a F3 northwesterly breeze made for an interesting Bank Holiday Pursuit Race at Draycote Sailing Club on Sunday 6th May. There were 41 entrants to the 100-minute John Siggers Pursuit Race, which was narrowly won by Harry McVicar in an RS300, to add to his second place in the first race in this year's series.

Two visiting boats took part and one of them, an RS Feva XL sailed by Oliver Rayner and Matthew Rayner from Yorkshire Dales SC, came second, keeping up the pressure from youth sailors after Millie Irish and Katie Byne won the pursuit race two weeks earlier, also in Feva XL.

The other visiting team of Nigel and Dian Pepperdine from Staunton Harold in an RS200 came in a creditable 7th, while Greg Irish in a Laser continued his form in this series adding a third to the second he already has in the bag.

The first beat which went up near the northwestern shoreline was particularly shifty with boats being forced off on big headers as they approached the yellow buoy west of mark C. A mix of tight and broad reaches then followed, only becoming wider when the wind moved round 30 degrees by which time most boats were on their third lap.

It is encouraging to note that a quarter of the entrants were in youth sailing classes. The John Siggers trophy was donated to the Club by his father after John's disappointment having made the British team for the controversially boycotted 1980 Olympics. By the time the boycott action was dropped, there was not enough time for the GB sailing to transport boats and gear to the sailing venue.

DWSC holds pursuit races on Monday bank holidays through the year (except August). The next in the 2019 series will be on 27th May.

All Bank Holiday Pursuit Races are open to visitors from other clubs and, for an entry fee of just £10, visiting boats will have the opportunity to take part in the 100-minute race (datum 11am) as well as have full use of the water for the whole day. They can qualify for the series prizes alongside Draycote members as well as compete for prizes for each individual Pursuit Race.

49ers, 49erFXs, Cherubs, Dart 18s, International 14s, International Moths, RS800s, RS900s and Shadow Xs can enter, but no other boats longer than 7 metres and / or using hydrofoils and / or with twin trapezes and / or with a PY / Great Lakes / Provisional handicap lower than 800. Multihulls can enter if their hulls and permanent appendages when rigged for sailing do not exceed 5.5 metres in length and 2.5 metres in width. No craft powered by airborne kites can enter.

For more information, please visit draycotewater.co.uk/pursuit-racing or contact 01788 811153.