(Hamble, So'ton, England)- The light conditions continued for the third
week of the Warsash Spring Series on Sunday, 1st April. With a forecast
7/8 knots north-easterly diminishing and veering southeasterly then
southerly, the Black Group committee boat set up station at Flying Fish
buoy.The early breeze enabled the first three classes to go ahead without delay. IRC1 and IRC2 got clear away on time. For the J/109 class the wind started drifting right and the boats were bunched at the committee boat end. Red Arrow (RAFYC) started prematurely and had to return. The sequence was then halted briefly as the wind swung, the line was adjusted and a new windward mark plotted. After the turning point, all classes were taken to East Knoll, West Knoll and South Bramble. Into the second leg, the breeze turned very light and fickle with large patches of calm water. Second placed J-DREAM, David and Kirsty Apthorp’s J/111, used very different tactics for the run past the Brambles Bank. In fact, it seemed from the first two classes that every tactician had a different idea on the best route south.
For the smaller classes, the problems increased as the route to the windward mark at Fastnet Insurance became increasingly difficult. With conditions deteriorating, the decision was made to shorten course for four classes at Flying Fish, the next mark after South Bramble. The bigger boats went on to Prince Consort before shortening at Sunsail Racing.
The introduction this year of a separate class for J/Sprit boats has enabled a mix of mainly J/92s and J/97s to enjoy some very close racing which has resulted in the only perfect score in the series so far. David Greenhalgh and John Taylor’s J'RONIMO has won all three races, this week by an impressive margin of six minutes.
Mike and Sarah Willis JAHMALI added a win to their two second places to edge ahead of David McLeman’s OFFBEAT in the J/109 standings.
The
sportsboats in White Group had set up stall near the entrance to
Southampton Water and initially there was enough breeze to get both
classes away on time. A significant wind shift on the first lap negated
the windward/leeward design of the course and made for a somewhat
processional race. Being closer inshore, the new south-southeasterly
breeze took some time to reach the race course. However, the upside of
this was that the sportsboats did not have to suffer the gradual shift
in wind direction that had affected the Black Group. By 1230, the wind
had steadied and strengthened sufficiently to allow both classes two
more good races. Rob Larke (J2X) with two wins this week has opened up a
small lead at the halfway stage in the J/80 class. For more Warsash Spring Series sailing results.
