Normally the OD would get three points for race organisation, but in today’s pursuit scheduled OD Rory Yardley was substituted by Mike Moore which allowed Rory to race. As with other pursuit races in this series, the finish was very close, and various places changed in the final minute or so of the race. A beat to 0 enabled three RS400s to break through pushing Rory into 4th place. Scumper’s 1st puts him in pole position in the series but equal on points to Hugh, and a point ahead of Shunty.
The sunny weather on Friday meant many started the weekend early by camping on site, together with 12 visiting boats from Southport SC. So there were several barbeques ablaze, together with scented candles to try and dissipate the midges! One not so rowdy group broke into cocktail mode slightly ahead of schedule, and, as ever, there was the odd sore head to be nursed this morning! Of course there were tales to tell of missing bags – Rich Hodgkins had managed to leave a bag on a train when changing trains at Preston. Virgin were very good at locating it but could do nothing other than let it travel on to Manchester and get it sent back to Lancaster. It’s a shame that Rich had already travelled up to Penrith to be picked up by mum Bridget, so Bridget, who had hurriedly finished her barbeque before going for Rich had an extended trip to Lancaster to pick up the bag. This all resulted in a 80min trip being extended to 4 hrs! Bridget kept on smiling though, and the not so rowdy group stayed up to crack another bottle of wine with her.
The second race of the day was part of a long championship series. They same time waits for no man, and OD Mike Moore seemed to take this to heart. As soon as he had set the line and the course he started the sequence whether or not everyone was on the water – indeed, some had stiil to put their sails up. At the time the handicap fleet started, there were still six boats a couple of minutes from the line, so they endured what could be described as their second pursuit of the day catching up with the rest of the fleet. William and Lesley were one pair that had to do this – they managed to secure a clear second to Shunty and Ruth on the water, but on handicap came 4th.