Visiting sailors from 11 clubs all over southern England and beyond converged on the northernmost creek of Chichester Harbour for Dell Quay SC's Solo open meeting on the Sunday of the Coronation weekend.
Light and flukey winds challenged competitors and the committee boat team headed by race officer Harvey Hillary, but good beats were set for all three races, two sailed on a windward-leeward course and the final one a triangle. All through the fleet of 25 boats competition was close.
The clear winner was Alex Butler from Hayling Island SC, with a perfect score of two wins, but his victory hinged on the final race result. Butler and a number his rivals had concentrated too much on their own positions in the first race and failed to pass through the required windward gate. So that was their discard, and all had to do well for the rest of the day.
for the second he was ahead from early on. Behind, Tim Lewis (Silver Wing SC) and Patrick Ward (Bough Beech SC) tied on points, but Lewis took second place overall thanks to his first-race win.
Younger sailors apart, the event attracted contestants in the Master, Grand Master and Septimus tiers. Winners were respectively Simon Derham (Littleton SC),Tim Lewis and Mike Barnes (RYA and Royal Lagos YC).
Heading the eight home-club racers was John Purdy, eighth overall and delighted with his third place in race two. Nicki Buchanan (DQSC) took the ladies' prize.
After the lack of wind for the first two races, conditions had looked more promising for the final one. But with the ebbing tide pushing many Solos the wrong side of the line the race was restarted - and then the breeze failed, forcing a shorten course signal at the windward mark second time around. The fleet slowly headed back to the club for tea and prize-giving, there to face the frustrating spectacle of a much stronger and steady south-westerly developing, too late.
Overall Results: (top six)
1. Alex Butler, HISC, 2pts
2. Tim Lewis, SWSC, 5pts
3. Patrick Ward, BBSC, 5pts
4. Fraser Holden, Papercourt SC, 8pts
5. Jack Holden, Chichester YC, 9pts
6. Julian Richards, Littleton SC, 9pts
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