Enterprise Thames Valley Area meeting at Frensham Pond Sailing Club

The penultimate Thames Valley Area Enterprise meeting on 6th October saw a fleet of five consisting of two visitors and three home boats sharing the water with the GP14 Open.

The last vestiges of Hurricane Lorenzo gave fast and furious sailing with the wind holding up to westerly 17 gusting 29 and shifting wildly but the rain held off to give a bright dry day.

The race officer, Hugh Marston, stuck to schedule with one race before lunch followed by two races back-to-back in the afternoon.

In the first race David and Alex Beaney got off to a good start and quickly gained a healthy lead on Ann Jackson and Alan Skeens, leaving the home boats in their wake. Home boats Roger Carter with Keith Mundy and Ted Bonner with Andy Majury took the next places but conditions proved too much for Roger Miller and Alastair McEwan who retired.

Race 2, following a revised course, saw the reverse of the first with Ann Jackson taking an early lead on David Beaney which she maintained with expert sailing, despite David chasing her hard but never quite managing to overtake. Once again Roger Carter followed in third and this time the wind took its toll on Ted Bonner who capsized and retired from the race.

In Race 3 the two visitors both seemed to find their mojo as they were nip and tuck away from the start line. David Beaney was first to the first mark which was the start of a tense tussle with Ann Jackson who many times gained an overlap on David Beaney but never managed to gain the lead.

David and Alex Beaney's two first places which gave them the Frensham Packard Cup and also meant that they took possession of the Enterprise Thames Valley Championship shield.

After the racing all were happy to chat in the clubhouse for a convivial tea with the prize-giving by the Vice Commodore, David Innes.

Overall Results: