RS200s at Delph

The third event of the Mike Saul Dinghy Services Northern Tour was hosted by Delph Sailing Club on Saturday.

The wind direction was favourable which meant the race officer was able to set a windward/leeward course for the 5 races and sixteen boats took part in very close racing.

The first 2 races in the morning took place in light winds and April showers.  In the first race Mike Saul and Meg Fletcher (YDSC) had a cracking windward leg and maintained their lead over Wayne and Deb Fletcher (Scaling Dam) with Graham Bristow and Carolyn Fox (Budworth) hot on their heels.  Martin and Barbara Smith (Delph) found the light airs to their liking in the second race and were first to the windward mark.  Closely pursued by Bristow/Fox they held on to their position to win the race.

A delicious lunch was served in the clubhouse during which blue skies appeared and sunshine prevailed for the rest of the day.

By the afternoon the wind speed had increased to a gusty 10 to 14mph.  During all three afternoon races the fleet was tightly packed with some hairy moments at the marks.  Phil and Naomi Smith (Bassenthwaite) and Wayne and Deb Fletcher battled it out for first position in the unpredictable conditions, the Fletchers winning the first 2 races.  In the last race an entanglement with Mike Saul at the windward mark put the Fletchers off their stride.  Most of the fleet arriving at the mark at the same time added to the excitement! Andy and Rob Smith (Basssenthwaite) led the race until the final downwind leg when  Graham Tinsley and Millie Cowan (Budworth), who had prayed to the wind gods, used a gust to their advantage and overtook the leading boats to steal it at the finish.