Crouch Log: Dying breeze doesn't prevent tight races (From Maldon and Burnham Standard)

Crouch Log: Dying breeze doesn't prevent tight races

10:26am Wednesday 6th August 2008

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Wednesday evening started in sunshine and breeze, promising another good evening's racing and, though the breeze died towards the end of the race, it was another excellent evening of sailing.

In the Hunter 707 fleet, Blowfish (Roger Martin) won definitively as three of the five starters were over the line, including close rivals Baby Beluga and Racehorse.

The winners in the other one design fleets had convincing wins too - Oink Squeal won by four minutes from nearest rival, Aeolus, in the RS Elites and Trophoblast was over a minute ahead of Chequemate, with Lady Penelope some two minutes later in the Squib class.

At the weekend, the wind played tricks on Saturday, when it was blustery until mid-afternoon and then died away gradually, which left the later-starting boats having a longer race than usual, having been up the Roach twice.

On Sunday, the Dragons had an extremely tight race, with Avalanche (Mark Wade) just pipping Scorpio Ian Gray by four seconds.

The Hunter 707s were completing the second half of the Phantom Trophy, which has a longer history than the America's Cup and was presented by the Royal Corinthian four years ago to the Hunter 707 class.

It has been raced for by different classes all with an element of off-shore racing ability and, prior to the 707s, it was presented to the Sonatas.

On Saturday there were three windward/leeward courses set and the first was won convincingly by Andy Woodhill in Black Sheep.

There were six boats racing in the extremely competitive fleet but Baby Beluga (John Lewis) managed to retain the trophy, with Marlin (Mark Rainbow) second and Blowfish, helmed by Stewart Meers, third.

Nine turned out for the third race of the HDRC President's Port series at their Southminster home on Tuesday. There were 12 races, with two discards and Phil Newman with five wins, took overall victory, with 19 points.

Other wins went to Nick Milton who was eventually second on 30 points and Ian Milton, who was third on 36 points.

Mark Wade who is new to the sport this season, wasn't far away, with two wins and 37 points overall. Alf Reynolds and Rob Campbell were other individual race-winners on the night.

Phil Newman is leading the series with three points. Nick Milton is second on seven and Alf Reynolds third on 14.

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