Results / Wembley Open Wembley SC - 18/04/2004

The second round of the Southeast travelers held at Wembly sailing club did not begin too encouragingly. It was not the fact that the club (for me anyway) is almost impossible to find or the southerly wind was from a poor direction for the reservoir. I think it was the heavy continuous rain and chill that made the twenty competitors wonder if getting out of bed was such a great idea. However, as ever, the Wembly welcome was warm and the coffee strong and by the time the first race began everybody was raring to go. None more so than David and Nicky Derby who flew off the start line to a clear lead in race one. They never managed to loose David Giles and Fiona Clark however who after several attempts to get past managed to keep in the wind slightly longer on the penultimate beat to sneak past and take the winner’s honk. Third was Ben and Liz Alexander. Race two was sailed in less wind but mercifully less rain. Those who went hard right up the first beat favoured best, led by Sue Antonelli and Jo Lloyd and Chris and Linda Woodard. Giles and Derby in the chasing pack gradually caught up and worked through to the front. Giles broke clear despite some navigation problems while the chasing pack blanketed themselves down the last run. Vince and Thomas Horey wisely steered a wide course around the logjam and claimed second place followed by Derby and Alexander. After a quick lunch race three got underway in a patchy southeasterly. Giles took and early lead and managed to stay ahead of the chasing pack who swapped positions continuously. At the finish Antonelli claimed second place from Derby and Horey. For race four the wind swung to the West and strengthened to 12 to 15 kts. The rain returned with vengeance. The race officer was now able to set a beat the length of the reservoir, which allowed for the best racing of the day. First off the line was Horey and Antonelli. Horey was first around the windward buoy but rounded it the wrong way and then knotted his spinnaker. This allowed Giles into the lead, which he extended to the finish. Having sorted himself out Horey worked his way back up the fleet to just pip Alexander to second place significantly giving him second place overall. And so a soggy fleet enjoyed a hot shower and an excellent tea before having to endure one of Giles’s terrible speeches. Thank goodness the bar was open!