Racing was for the Sothebys Trophy (senior fleet), while the junior fleet's races counted for the season-long Junior Championships series. A light Southwester was blowing, with its eddies making for tricky sailing conditions. The full quota of three races could be completed. The junior fleet had four Optimists and a Dabchick - school exams are still keeping some of this fleet away. The senior fleet had eleven boats - nine Lasers, a Sonnet and a Mirror.
In the first race, despite a capsize at the start, the Laser of John Marc Olivier was first to the weather mark, closely followed by Georgou Divaris and Henry Paine. Olivier was able to hold this lead to finish first after three rounds, followed by Paine and Malcolm Osborne, all on Lasers. Class handicaps also gave the race win to Olivier, but Divaris came up to second place. In the junior fleet, the Dabchick of Chris Kennedy finished well ahead of the Optimists, who had Sean Vonk in the lead. This lead wasn't quite enough to get the Dabchick the race win, however - handicaps put him in second place.
The second and third races had slightly less wind, with even lighter patches - the skill was to try to avoid those. In the second race, the Sonnet of Dave and Fay Jones had a good start and first beat to get to the weather mark first, closely pursued by the Lasers. He was subsequently passed by the faster Lasers. Malcolm Osborne was able to extend a slight lead over Olivier and Paine.
The latter two managed to catch up at the end of the race, making for a close finish, where Olivier just managed to get ahead at the finish line. But the Laser 4.7 of Georgou Divaris was close enough to get the race win on handicap, ahead of Olivier and Osborne. Once again, the Dabchick was ahead in the junior fleet, but insufficiently to place well - Sean Vonk was the winner, ahead of Eurios Horne, with Kennedy in third place.
In the third race, the Lasers of Olivier and Paine got ahead of the rest, pursued by another small bunch consisting of Bill Turner, Maurits Lammers and Malcolm Osborne a distance behind. As usual, Olivier crossed the finish line first, 20 seconds ahead. Third over the line was Maurits Lammers.
These results were unchanged by handicaps. In the junior fleet, the Dabchick was once again unable to get the race win, despite finishing six minutes ahead. Once again it was Sean Vonk in first, followed by Eurios Horne.
Overall, for the series of races counting for the Sothebys Trophy, John Marc Olivier is in the lead, ahead of Henry Paine and Malcolm Osborne.
Dave and Fay Jones sailing their Sonnet down a run.
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