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2007
Royal Harwich Yacht Club
Kestrel Open The weekend of 29/30th September provided varying weather conditions with a healthy and blustery north wind on the Saturday when three races were sailed and in contrast Sunday turned out much lighter for the last two races. The event was dominated by the battle for supremacy between 1574 (Dave Hearsum/Gareth Fay) and 1537 (Ian Sharps/Olive Glasspool) Note: Ian stood in for John Glasspool as John had recently been in hospital and was on light duties. Race 1 was notable for the race leaders 1537 & 1548 rounding the leeward mark incorrectly, and although Ian and Olive managed to recover to third at the finish, it gave Dave and Gareth their first win followed by 909(Steve/Lin Worf) in second place. Race 2 saw Ian/Olive & David/Gareth leading the fleet round but on the last spinnaker run 1545 (John Weedon/Amber Wilson) overtook several boats to finish in 3rd place Race 3 started on a port biased line with one boat making a port tack start (probably 1573 (Rod/Jenny Brown-Lee). First and second to finish were again the same pair with our Scottish visitors 1615 (Ian Hunt/Sandy Bremner) finishing third. They were helped by Phil Trevelyan the crew of 1546 falling overboard – or did Paul Jarvey push him? Sunday with the light breeze eventually arriving from the east, the Race Officer was able to set courses out of the worst of the spring tide. Race 4 started in a fickle breeze which eventually filled in. Dave/Gareth and 1549 (Graham Richmond/David Clarke) leading the way but by the finish Ian/Olive had worked their way into second place by overtaking Graham/David who finished in third place. Race 5, the final race, the wind had settled down and it was a fight for overall honours between Dave/Gareth and Ian/Olive. Ian/Olive needed to finish in front of Dave/Gareth but not lower than second. The first beat saw the 2 protagonists locked in battle allowing John/Amber to pick the optimum route to the windward mark and keep the lead thereafter. With Dave/Gareth and Ian/Olive engaging in a luffing match to the leeward mark this must have confused Dave/Gareth, enforcing an incorrect rounding and therefore ending their fight for overall honours as Ian/Olive finished the race in second place with Ian/Sandy ending up third. We shared the racing on Sunday with the Lasers and their prizes included ‘the first master’ the winner of which appeared younger than nearly all the Kestrel helms! John Weedon.
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