A SLIGHTLY reduced field of seven boats took to the water for race four of Walton and Frinton Yacht Club’s Winter Series.

The plan was to also run race one, which had been postponed from January.

Conditions were excellent, with a decent breeze of 12-16 knots and fairly benign weather.

Race officer Chris Brooke managed to set a very true windward start line from a committee boat in the Twizzle and, with the intention of running back-to-back races, he set a short course which made a clean start more important than usual.

In the event, series leader Martin Jenkins, in his Phantom, was caught up in traffic in the middle of the line.

He had no option other than to sail down behind the Phantom of Simon Hipkin and ended up behind three or four boats as he crossed the line.

In contrast, James Oxley, in his full rig Laser, had a perfect start and was hot out of the blocks to lead the fleet towards Coles Creek, the first mark.

Jenkins recovered from his poor start to ease past the leading boats, finally catching Oxley’s Laser before the mark but in such a short race he had his work cut out to get far enough away to save his handicap.

Jenkins’ Phantom crossed the finish line just 35 minutes after the start but, although he had managed to get two minutes between himself and Oxley’s Laser, it was clear it wasn’t going to be enough.

Oxley won the race by nearly a minute on corrected time and John Sewell, in his Solo, did enough to squeeze into second place.

Jenkins finished in third place, tied on corrected time with Domonic Jacobs, in his Laser Radial.

The rearranged race one was started immediately after the finish.

This time Jenkins was more aggressive and started right on the pin end of the line.

He had Simon Hipkin in his Phantom just ahead but below him, John Sewell (Solo) pulled off an excellent port tack start from the committee boat end of the line to cross a boat length ahead but Jenkins was able to tack clear and sail into an early lead.

Jenkins rounded Coles Creek nearly a minute ahead of the chasing Laser of Oxley and was able to extend this over the next three legs to win by more than two minutes on corrected time.

Hipkin and Sewell led the chasing pack but an error in rounding the wrong mark after the start meant that the race was a battle between Jenkins and Oxley, with Jenkins redressing the first race defeat.

With one race to go in the series, Jenkins has a useful two-point lead but Oxley has been improving steadily throughout the past year to now be a regular contender at the front of the fleet, which will make the final race of the series on March 7 an interesting contest.

Result: Race four: 1 James Oxley, Laser; 2 John Sewell, Solo; =3 Martin Jenkins, Phantom; =3 Domonic Jacobs, Laser Radial; 5 Simon Hipkin, Phantom; 6 Tim Oxley, Laser; 7 David Wood, Solo. Race one: 1 Martin Jenkins, Phantom; 2 James Oxley, Laser; 3 Simon Hipkin, Phantom; 4 John Sewell, Solo; 5 Domonic Jacobs, Laser Radial; 6 David Wood, Solo; 7 Tim Oxley, Laser. Overall leaders position: 1 Martin Jenkins 4 pts, 2 James Oxley 6pts, 3 John Sewell 9pts.