Royal Harwich open meeting

 

18 Twelves congregated for the fourth Gill series event of 2008. The Saturday was gusty and shifty. The most important tactic seemed to be avoiding getting things wrong. Race 1 saw Gavin & Sabrina Willis take the lead only to sail the wrong course, Steve & Joanne Sallis looked good but overstood the windward mark, allowing Graham Camm & Zoe Ballantyne through to win the race.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo : www.clodaghphotos.co.uk

Fran Gifford & Sophie Mackley got a blinding start in Race 2 to fly into an uncatchable lead. The pack behind fought for second with Graham & Zoe just clinching it on the line from Antony & Jo Gifford and Richard Williams & Stella Brown.

 

Race 3 saw Richard & Stella take the lead with Graham & Zoe and Antony & Jo Gifford nipping at their heels on the run. The wind swung right on the middle beat which benefited Graham & Zoe who took the race.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo : www.clodaghphotos.co.uk

 

Sunday dawned breezy. Fran & Sophie were hot off the blocks to fly into another uncatchable lead. Behind them they left a trail of carnage. The Thorntons were the first to capsize followed by Richard & Stella and many others leaving Jon Ibbotson & Clare Hunter to take second.

 

The wind stayed up for the final race. Steve & Joanne led for most of the race but a toe strap incident on the reach allowed Richard & Stella to take the race closely followed by Kevin Iles and Jane Wade.

 

Overall results

 

1st Graham Camm & Zoë Ballantyne

2nd Fran Gifford & Sophie Mackley

3rd Antony & Jo Gifford

4th Richard Williams & Stella Brown

 

1st Admiral's cup: Gerald & Antony Copsey