Lymington XOD Saturday Series Week 3
by Steve Adshead 12 May 2024 20:32 BST
11 May 2024
In perfect spring sunshine with a warm 10 knot easterly breeze and against an established ebbing spring tide the race team lead by Ken Hay and Mike Cowan set a first beat from the Starting Platform up to G (Bridgeworks).
Despite the strong adverse tide there was a general recall at the first start demonstrating the ultra competitiveness of the 15 strong fleet. After stern warnings from race team's Malcolm McKeag of the sailing equivalent of hell fire and damnation for further indiscretions the fleet got away at the second attempt.
It headed inshore to escape the worst of the adverse spring tide. Mayfly established a solid lead with a masterful demonstration of sailing skills and intricate knowledge of the shoreline's shallow pitfalls which saw many in the fleet flounder in failed attempts to gain an extra inshore advantage. Annex followed Mayfly up the first beat, managing to stay within a threatening distance. These two rounded Bridgeworks in that order with a slight comfort gap back to Lone Star, Claire de Lune and then Astra. At the end of a sloppy run in the ebb tide down to C (Colten), Annex struck and snatched the lead on rounding up into the foul tide. Lone Star followed in third with Astra gaining an inside overlap on Claire de Lune to move into fourth.
Up the final beat to a shortened course finish at Platform the wind dropped right off as the leaders headed out to clear Jack in the Basket before filling in again. Annex held on to secure an impressive first place with a tense battle and more place changing behind. This saw Claire de Lune getting into the new wind first and make the biggest gains up to second.
Week 3 Results: (top five)
1st Annex: Martin Sellars & Rupert Harding
2nd X33 Clair de Lune: Simon McCarthy, Jeremy Baker & Mike Crow
3rd X119 Lone Star: Paul Woodman, Oliver James & Phil Lawrence
4th X63 Astra: Steve and Isabel Adshead & Leslie Ross
5th X161 Mayfly: Rory and Amanda Paton & Jo Hutchinson
Full Lymington XOD series results can be found at rlymyc.org.uk/afloat/results/XOD-results