With a strong westerly breeze blowing at 20 mph it was decided that the competitors in the Novice Race should use the smaller training rigs on the Picos being used. Shouts of alarm came from some competitors at the thought of sailing around the race course with just a handkerchief for a sail, and as soon as the starting sequence commenced the wind died down to a gentle breeze leaving the competitors frustrated having to sail against a ripping tide and little wind.
The number of times some competitors tacked for the windward mark only to drift back and end up where they started, were too numerous to mention, but eventually they all made it around a fairly large course set whilst there was plenty of wind.
Two of the stars to emerge from this gladiatorial battle were the Hickson duo of Miles and Libby. Miles, sailing his new fantastic little Opi dinghy and his older sister sailing a Topper screamed around the course whilst the Pico sailors could only watch in frustration. It was not the fault of the Pico competitors, but the lack of sail area in the light wind conditions that made everything so difficult.
I felt particularly sorry for Tess Hickson who originally wanted to sail her Laser (and she would have done well in it) battled to get around the course in the Pico only to see both her siblings lap her and go on to attain first and second place. Chris Weal took third, but many of the competitors (especially our television star driving instructor Heather) learned a great deal today about sailing in light winds against a strong current. You have to keep the boat moving at all times, and if you stall the sail, you end up back where you came from, as Magdalena found to her dismay. She did however keep trying and eventually the wind picked up enough for her to round the mark and head for the finish. Well done all!
I know that Claire Gibson (Our Pro Sailor) who has been working hard with this group can only be pleased with the way that they stuck at it, and I think that the next Novice Race will see these guys and girls finding it all a great deal easier and a lot more satisfying.
Results
1st Miles Hickson-Opi
2nd Libby Hickson-Topper
3rd Chris Weal-Pico
