Dell Quay Sailing Club

(Published in the Chichester Observer on Thursday 29 September 2016)

Race 5 of the DQSC Late Helm series started in a challenging Force 6 south westerly breeze, which dropped back to a more comfortable but still testing Force 5 as the race progressed. First to cross the finish line was Andrew Buchanan (Finn) but first place on handicap went to David Maltby (Solo), followed by Gordon Barclay (Solo) and Simon Verrall. 

For the second race the wind had dropped to a less demanding Force 4 with Buchanan once again finishing first on the water but this time taking third place on Handicap. Maltby and Barclay once again took first and second place. Barclay leads the series so far with Sue Manning (Laser 4.7) second and Buchanan third.

Light and fickle winds meant a delay in starting the Late Trophy 5 and 6 races and proved frustrating at times for the competitors. In the Solo fleet Roger Puttock fought hard against light-wind expert Richard Ede to win each time, while behind Mike Shaw and Richard Bridgemont shared the third and fourth places. Shaw, the only sailor to have competed in all six races so far in the series, leads overall, but with two more races to go Gordon Barclay, currently lying second, could take the trophy.

A very mixed handicap fleet saw the slowest and fasted boats take the top corrected time positions in the first race, though finishing 22 minutes apart. Jean and Liz Sagues (Lymington River Scow) headed Gideon and Gilly Ewers (RS 400), while third place went to Simon Bell (RS Aero7). The day’s second race saw Bell adapting even better to the flukey conditions and avoiding the late-race calm to win, ahead of Sarah and Martin Greenhalgh (2000) and Roy Dyton (Streaker). Sue Manning (Laser 4.7) continues to lead the series, ahead of Andrew Buchanan (Finn) who was unable to sail after injuring his hand in the previous day’s violent gusts.

Liz Sagues 

Note: The final races in the Late Helm series have now been completed. Gordon Barclay wins the series and the Fred Taylor Trophy. Second place goes to Sue Manning with Simon Verral coming third.