Streakerramblings -Elford Numbum Race 1 - 8th January 2012

It was grey overcast (high Thin Cloud) as we left home for Piddinghoe with just the hint of a breeze from the north but thankfully not cold.

Kay (RO) set a course starting with a short beat from near the flagpole to the north west corner by the clubhouse with a close reach along the north shore to the north east corner. After a gybe there was a run to a mark half way along the eastern shore and then a close reach behind the island to the south east corner. From here there was a windward leg to a mark mid way along the north shore turning onto a reach back to the start mark and finally a short beat to the finish off the clubhouse.
Some seventeen boats went onto the water although one, a Mirror, did not participate in the racing. Although it was a good length line (for the Pond) it was full to capacity at the start but unfortunately nearly everybody was over and Kay called a general recall.

At the second start Matt Springhall (Laser full rig, NSSC) was first off the blocks but just a bit too early and over the line again next was Laurence Venus (Streaker, NSSC) a little closer inshore - unfortunately he too was over the line and had to return to start correctly. Up near the pin end were Rupert Smith (Laser full rig, NSSC) and Michael Veale and Mike Rosier (RS 200, NSSC) with Roger McAll (Laser full rig, BexhillSC) a tad further down the line was Paul Ryan (Laser full rig,Hardway SC)

Behind the group at the pin end was Alan Simmons (Streaker, Lancing SC) who crossed the line and then tacked off on port to get clear of the inshore boats. It paid off as when he tacked back onto starboard he made the mark in fifth place behind Rupert.S,  Michael.V,  Paul.R and Roger.Mc. In the ensuing lap Rupert.S pulled away and established a firm lead – a position he then held until the finish. Paul.R also passed the RS200 of Michael.V who was being closely persued by Alan.S with Laurence.V not far behind him.
By the end of lap 3 the order was Rupert.S, Paul.R, Laurence.V and then Alan.S. Matt.S had managed to get back into the race and finished this lap on the same time as Roger.Mc both behind this group. In the light breeze – rarely above a force 2 – Michael.V and, in spite of using his spinnaker on the offwind legs, dropped back to 8^th on the water and finished the race in that position.

Matt.S and Roger.Mc had some close combat during the race as did Paul.R, Laurence.V and  Alan.S with Paul.R passing Alan.S again in lap 7.
Further back down the fleet Bill Wates (Laser full rig, NSSC), Julian Dobson (Laser full rig, NSSC) and Howard Minter – in his first Piddinghoe venture - (Laser full rig, NSSC) were in constant tussels with Michael.V also envolved. Bill.W had the most noteworty event of the race befall him in lap 6 when he hit a mark. Whilst doing the relevant 360 degree turn – as he thought, incorrectly, around the mark – he hit it for a second time and did another 360. The effect of all this pirouetting dropped him from 7th in lap 5 to 12th by the finish. A little further back still Chris Turner (Laser Radial, NSSC) ,with the reduced sail area, was initially sparing with Alice Smith but by lap 6 he had started to climb up from 13th  to finally finish as 9th on the water.

Dan Ford(NSSC) gamely sailed his Magno without his usual crew Becca  but the lesser crew weight did not help much with the overall speed. A certain Ben Ford (NSSC) was sailing a mirror single handed and without a jib which must have been incredibly slow and probably why he retired in lap 2.
The two Laser IIs of Jack Turner crewed by James Bovington and Alice Smith with Sasha Stonard (all of NSSC) did not find the conditions to their liking – a Laser II needs a bit of breeze to get it going. Alice finished ahead of Jack in spite of the latter flying his spinnaker during the race.

Sailing all alone without any direct competition Carolyn Turner in an un-numbered Pico gamely completed 5 laps in the unsuitable light breezes – like the Laser IIs the Pico like a bit of wind – but regrettably was still place 15^th and last. Would a jib here have helped, well perhaps a tad and might have gained one place.
At the finish the order, of the top group, was Rupert.S, Laurence.V, Paul.R, Alan.S, Matt.S (just one second behind) and then Roger.Mc.  Once the handicaps had been applied the two Streakers (on their club reduced handicaps of 1148) had still come out in front.

Results (Unchecked,Unapproved) :-

1^st. Laurence Venus, 2^nd. Alan Simmons, 3^rd. Rupert Smith, 4^th. Paul Ryan, 5^th Matt Springhall, 6^th. Roger Mcall, 7^th. Chris Turner, 8^th.Julian Dobson, 9^th. Howard Minter,

10^th. Bill Wates, 11^th Michael Veale, 12^th Dan Ford, 13^th.Alice Smith, 14^th. Jack Turner, 15^th Carolyn Turner. 16^th Ben Ford (Retired).

Alan.S 1700.

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