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National 12s @ Henley S.C.13 National 12s fought out an excellent 3 race series on the river at Wargrave on Sunday 26 September. The fleet of six local boats and seven visitors launched in benign conditions for the first race and despite the lack of wind there was great enthusiasm, resulting in 2 general recalls as the fleet obliterated the far transit from view. However at the third time of asking the fleet were away, with Geoff Camm and Amelia Hall the early leaders. Half way round the first lap Dave and Jenny Wilkins took command and sailed away to win by a good distance. John and Mandy Thornton worked their way through to finish 3rd. By the finish there was decent wind strength, although the direction remained a little shifty! Most importantly it was sunny! Race 2 saw Camm and Hall on course side and having to return. They then picked up a fortuitous puff which propelled them into second place by the first mark behind Steve Gent and Viv Roberts. After a close tussle with initially John & Katy Meadowcroft and then the Thorntons they won the race. The Wilkins found serious weed and could only imagine 5th, behind Gent and Roberts who took a second successive 4th place. Race 3 and it was winner takes all for the Thorntons, Wilkins or Camm & Hall. However it was the Meadowcrofts who were cleanest off the line with Camm & Hall taking a 720 penalty. Gent & Roberts were second round the first mark. With the puffs and associated shifts getting bigger, the Thorntons and Camm & Hall had a lot of speed and quickly made ground through the fleet, whilst the Wilkins had a swim and checked their centreboard. The Meadowcrofts however held a substantial lead which was only eroded close to the finish, with Camm & Hall getting past the Thorntons to secure their overall victory, with the Meadowcrofts sneaking the old boats prize. Two of the first 5 boats were more than thirty years old, another 'youngster' still more than twenty years old, and another 2, including the winner having been built in the last 18 months with the latest technology in the Class. Each of the five had different hull shape designs, each with a different mast section, and with sails ranging from new to very, very old. The river is always a great leveller however for 12 foot boats of all ages, and there was fantastic racing for all. Overall Results1 - N3488 - Two Fat Ladies - Geoff Camm & Amelia Hall,
Shoreham SC, 3 pts |
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