Dell Quay Sailing Club

The rescheduled May Mini Series at Dell Quay SC last weekend saw a bumper entry list of twenty boats, with six races taking place over Sat/Sun and class starts for the Solos, Fireflies and general handicap.

Saturday saw light winds and Race Officer Fred Hilgers begin with a simple triangle course, extending it in the second and third races as the wind increased.

Tight racing in the Solo class saw Mark Harper win the first two races with Roger Puttock taking the third.

The top three positions in the Firefly fleet chopped and changed throughout the day, with Martin Jones winning the first race and Harvey & Sophia Hillary winning the second and third. Will & Rory Parrett threw away second place in the third race with a capsize at the windward mark.

In the general handicap Sue Manning (Laser 4.7) sailed superbly to win all three races, with Andrew Buchanan (Finn) second in each and Roger Francis (Graduate) third.

On the Sun Race Officer Carol Andrews delayed the start until a nice breeze filled in from the north, a simple and effective triangle course was set with a long beat up to Fishbourne and downwind sections to Hook and Quay. Weedy conditions kept racers busy clearing their rudders, those spotting and making use of the wind shifts saw the best gains.

In the Solo class Stephen Holcroft won the first two races with Simon Verrall taking the third, the result of the last race might have been different had leaders Harper and Puttock realised it was three laps instead of two. Harper wins the series and the Martell Challenge Trophy with Holcroft second and Puttock third.

Sunday saw close racing between the Fireflies of Will & Rory Parrett and Harvey and Sophia Hillary, with Shaun & Zara Pollard chasing in third. The Parrett’s won the first race but couldn’t hold off the Hillary’s in the second, with Harvey and Sophia winning the race and the series with a race to spare, taking home the historic Dell Quay Quart in the process.

In the general handicap class Buchanan won the first and last races with Francis winning the second. Manning wins the series and the Sam Burke Trophy with Buchanan second and Francis third.

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