DF95 Spring Series at East Kent Radio Sailing Club - Week 3
by Peter Jackson 18 Apr 15:15 BST
16 April 2026
DF95 Spring Series at Barton's Point week 3 © Mike Brand
Fourteen members turned out for 15 races in East Kent's 3rd Spring Series event at Bartons's Point Sheppey. It was B rigs all round, and Ralph Wilkinson did race officer coaching for each skipper in turn.
Jim LaRoche got his new sparkly blue boat straight into gear with a win in race 1 from Adrian Tomlinson, then little brother David ahead of Simon Thornton. It then became a Tomlinson benefit as Adrian and David filled the top 2 spots up to race 5. After OOD duty Mike Brand struggled to keep up, and Jim fell off the pace. Peter Jackson recovered from being taken out twice for a 3rd & 2nd before succumbing to irreparable damage. Dave Adams recovered to 3rd after following Mike to the wrong leeward Mark in race 3. Alan Hounsell beat Dave A to earn a podium visit in race 5.
With Adrian OCS in race 6 David Tomlinson finally took a win, as Adrians advice on B rig setting came to an end. Mike Brand was now up to speed in 2nd with Adrian 3rd. Normal T,T service then resumed with Dave Adams on the bottom step. Jim La Roche plugged in three 4ths interspersed with an average points as OOD.
Mike Brand produced an afternoon spurt of 2,1,1 then Dave got his first win in race 11 ahead of Jim as Adrian did OOD and brother Dave fell off the pace. But Adrian was straight back with 2 wins, one from Paul Woodwards best finish splitting the brothers in race 12, the other to David. This time Simon Thorntons improving consistency earned him 3rd.
Dave Adams finally got his act together in a late charge to take the last 2 races of the day before forecast rain showers arrived. But the Tomlinson brothers had the top 2 spots sewn up by then and the race was for 3rd. Jim had slipped back, but Mike Brand hung in well to finish 4,2 and hold off Dave by 1 point. Behind Jim Simon Thornton was also only 1 point ahead of Paul Woodward, and 1 more point ahead of Alan Hounsell.
Week 3 Results: (top ten)
1. 30 Adrian Tomlinson
2. 750 David Tomlinson
3. 10 Mike Brand
4. 65 Dave Adams
5. 57 Jim LaRoche
6. 665 Simon Thornton
7. 20 Paul Woodward
8. 380 Alan Hounsell
9. 32 Spencer Pope
10. 613 Andrew Nicholls
Full daily results can be found here.