RC Laser Racing at HDRC Burnham

Newman scrapes home

Phil Newman on Saturday became the fourth different winner of HDRC Burnham’s winter RC Laser racing.

In what proved to be some of the closest and most exciting racing the club have experienced since forming less than two years ago, Newman pipped summer series champion Jon Sturmer on countback after the pair had tied on 25 points each.

And had Malcolm Hutchings, who was just two points further back, not failed to finish in two races, he too might well have challenged for pole position

Neil Fulcher was also in the hunt. He led the fleet at halfway but three disappointing finishes in the last four races proved expensive and, despite securing three firsts from the 11-race meeting, he had to settle for fourth place.

Peter Hutchings, the RC Laser nationals bronze medallist, also suffered a wretched finish to the meeting after what was a confident and consistent start. After five top-three finishes, he ended the regatta with a seventh sand a sixth which, like Fulcher, proved costly.

Even so, it all made for some great racing, with only five points separating the top four boats and just eight points dividing the leading five craft.

Twelve boats took to the club’s new winter water at Blackwater Sailing Club for a second occasion, that despite the fact that Peter Spence, the winner here a fortnight ago, and three other regulars were unavailable.

One of those was Dan Dixon, winner last month, who was otherwise engaged earning third place in Saturday’s Musto Performance Skiff Burnham Icicle event on the River |Crouch.

Results:

1 P Newman 25 pts
2 J Sturmer 25 pts
3 M Hutchings 27 pts
4 N Fulcher 30 pts
5 P Hutchings 33 pts
6 N Milton 38 pts