A bright sunny morning with a rising wind greeted 28 boats at Rollesby Broad on Sunday 19th January.
Nine multisailed craft took to the water, though a couple were at least a little late for their start! Roger Wilson & Dennis Manning had the best start in their Wayfarer, though it took very little time for Mike McNamara & Any Smith to take the lead in their Albacore. McNamara could not get far enough ahead and with two doewnwind legs suitable for spinnakers Wilson took the win with Richard Foster & Tony Ingram sailing an excellent race to finish third in there Xenon. McNamara made no mistakes in race 2, but was very closely challenged by Howard Astley-Jones who missed victory by just four seconds in his Vareo.
With nineteen starters (including 8 Lasers and 8 Solos) the single-handers were a little more crowded at their start. A short first beat meant some very wide routes and large gains and losses at the first two gybe marks as the fleet rounded both several deep. A rare appearance of Darren Pikes Phantom saw him establish a good lead, but once the pack has settled down it was Kevin Postlethwaite in his Solo and Andy Bassetts Laser who appeared to have cleared trouble most profitably. Postlethwaite held close enough order to the encroaching Laser pack to win, whilst Terry Palmer led Matt Boreham home to complete a Solo podium.
In race two Pike couldn’t quite escape; Chris Foster (Laser), Ian Ayres (Solo) and Phil Highfield (Streaker) all in line with Phantom on the first run. However the leaders met a lull as they reached the gybe mark and the pack arrived on mass on a gust turning the fleet almost inside out. On the longer leg down the broad Pike just got in front, but never by far. Highfield and Foster were able to stay near the front whilst Ayres got swamped and dropped to 18th! Highfield hit his stride up wind to gain sufficiently for the win with a charging Bob Hawkins enjoying the rising breeze to bring his Solo home second with Foster third.
Multisails
Race 1 (9 entries)
1. Roger Wilson & Dennis Manning (Wayfarer)
2. Mike McNamara & Andy Smith (Albacore)
3. Richard Foster & Tony Ingram (Xenon)
Race 2 (9)
1. Mike McNamara & Andy Smith (Albacore)
2. Howard Astley-Jones (Vareo)
3. Dave Houghton & John Symonds (Wayfarer)
SingleHanders
Race 1 (19 entries)
1. Kevin Postlethwaite (Solo)
2. Terry Palmer (Solo)
3. Matt Boreham (Solo)
4. Andy Bassett (Laser)
Race 2 (18)
1. Phil Highfield (Streaker)
2. Bob Hawkins (Solo)
3. Chris Foster (Laser)
4. Terry Palmer (Solo)