Summer Series at Hunts Sailing Club - Day 1
by Steve Bishop 30 Jul 09:37 BST
19 July 2026
Summer series at Hunts day 1 with pre-race coaching and novice start initiative © Kate Goujon
Sunny skies and a nice breeze welcomed the novice sailors.
Sara did a fantastic job of organising the training session on the water before club racing began, with a good number attending and Hugh Brooks bringing their demo boat out on the lake.
After everyone came ashore, the novices gathered in the club for a briefing conducted by our very own John Coppenhall, explaining the format and course.
Race 1
The race countdown got under way with the regular sailors. With a minute to go, boats all started to huddle together at the pin end. Boats were getting pushed out, with one being Solo Fleet Captain Steve Bishop, who had to loop round while the fleet headed down to the windward mark.
The novices started five minutes after the main fleet. They got under way, putting into practice everything they had learned from Sara Goujon & Robert Hole.
The breeze was fairly consistent, with the few gusts being a bit fruity at times, but both fleets handled it well.
Martin Brooking and his assistant Chris Lawrence were on safety duty, ready to lend a hand. A couple of capsizes across both fleets kept Martin and Chris on their toes.
With the race over, everyone headed in for lunch, with a variety of rolls and drinks prepared by Helen Hughes and her galley team. Very lovely as always.
Before Race 2, Martin Brooking gave a training talk to the novices before they went out, giving them sound advice.
Race 2
Race 2 got under way with no individual recalls or general recalls, with three novices joining in with the main fleet.
Most of the fleet gathered at the pin end of the start line, while Steve Bishop in his Solo headed towards the committee boat.
John Coppenhall, making the most of the clear air, reached the windward mark first, with Steve Bishop on his transom. Three boat lengths back were Gary Fowler, Andy Champ and Sara Goujon.
The final lap saw some big shifts and significant gains and losses amongst the top five racers. Steve lost out on the run and was passed.
During the break between Races 2 and 3, Steve Bishop gave a demonstration on boat controls and how they affect the shape of the sail, followed by a quick Q&A session.
Race 3
Race 3 got under way cleanly, with Sara making the right choices and taking the lead.
Close racing throughout the fleet gave spectators a great demonstration of how it should be done.