Midday series A and Memorial race

​ Midday Series A
9th April 2017
First race of the day and there are eleven boats on the water and getting ready to line up for the start of this new series.

The Laser 2000, 2041 is sitting on the line as the sound signal indicating the start of the race is heard across the water, with a great start achieved, along comes Laser 165710 flying up and goes into an early lead, but soon the Blue Spinnaker was raised and the two boats are vying with each other for first place,  in the meantime the rest of the fleet are coming up the course en-masse.  Having rounded SP1 and now heading for SP2, the Laser 2000 is still holding on to its lead, then Laser 165710 gets ahead of the Laser 2000 and pulls away.  While Laser 2000, 2041 is in second place, there is a challenger for this spot in the form of another Laser 2000, 22173, after the Laser 2000, then Laser fleet are catching up, Laser 42839 is in 4th place whilst in 5th is the Laser 8.1 being given its first sail of the season.

Laser 165710 having established a good lead is sailing down on to SP3 whilst the two Laser 2000's have just rounded the Dolphin and they are being pursued by the bevy of Lasers.
The Race Officer has shortened the race, first to finish is the Laser 165710 but with all to play for the Laser 2000's are doing battle for 2nd place and whilst it is Laser 2000 2041 in second place, Laser 2000 22173 is challenging, however, this valiant effort comes to naught and finishes in third.

It was great to see young Joe taking the Laser with its distinctive sail out on the water this afternoon for a sail around the bay.

Results
1st Laser 165710 Colin Smith
2nd Laser 2000 2041 Brian and Maria Golton
3rd Laser 2000 22173 Laurie Dengate and Magdalena Gawecka

Memorial Trophy Pursuit Race
With the first Pursuit Race of the season, the Race Officer held a briefing to inform the competitors the sequence of starts.  This having been established, all the boats went afloat.
First to start was Topper 26204 being sailed by Victoria, the course being sailed is the same as for the Midday race,  whilst all the other boats await their allotted start time, the Topper has sailed around SP2and now is heading for the North mark, in the meantime, the Comet 295 of Colin and Scarlett are just setting off on their quest to catch the Topper, despite the RS200 having an early capsize on the line this does not hamper the Comet and they have rounded SP1 and off to SP2 whilst the Topper is now rounding the North and heading off toward the Dolphin.

Back at the start and now it is the turn of the Laser Radials to begin their quest to catch the first two boats and they quickly round SP1 and head off toward SP2, next to start are the Laser 2000s and at present Laser 2000, 22173 has a slight lead over Laser 2000, 2041.  Now it is the turn of the Lasers to start and they have joined in the melee to make it up to SP2, the RS200 has yet to start the race.
The Topper is still holding on to its lead and rounded SP3 and heading up to begin the next lap of the Race,  the Comet has been caught by the Laser Radials and passed, unfortunately, for the Comet, a capsize and that has ended the race for the Comet which is rescued and brought ashore.  Back on the start line the RS200 has just begun its race and with a flourish raises its bright yellow kite and speeds off up the course. 

The leading Laser Radial is now heading towards the Dophin and close behind is the Laser 2000, 2041, then Laser 2000 22173, whilst the Topper is still in the lead, this is now being challenged for by a Laser Radial.  The Laser 2000s are doing battle and have caught up with the leading Laser Radial, also joining the affray is now Laser 165710.  Elsewhere on the course, there have been a few capsizes, the RS200 has managed to prevent itself from capsizing, not so a Laser Radial.

The Laser 2000s are now leading the fleet but coming up in third place is Laser 165710, Laser 2000, 22173 is in pole position, but there has been a change for second place and it is Laser 165710 but in close pursuit is Laser 2000 2041 and they eventually move up into second place and then go on to get into first place.

The Topper has capsized but does manage to right the boat and despite her capsize Victoria is very much a part of this Pursuit Race.  However, amongst the fleet there have been a number of retirements from the race.

The three boats in contention for top slot are the Laser 2000s and the Laser 165710 and once again it is all change at the lead and now the Laser has gone into pole position but whilst it has extended it's lead the Laser 2000s are never too far away.

After the allotted time span of the Pursuit Race, the Laser is the first to finish.
 
Results
1st Laser 165710 Colin Smith
2nd Laser 2000 2041 Brian and Maria Golton
3rd Laser 2000 22173 Laurie Dengate and Magdalena Gawecka