20th June 2021 Race Report

Tamar 5

Robin Spiller (Streaker) and Adam Hilton (Solo) started neck and neck on a grey, damp day with light and highly variable airs coming from points east to south. But it was Nathan Pollard (Laser Full), always a keen competitor – lying second before this race – in the Tamar race series, who came up fast and rounded the first buoy, Zebra, in the lead, a lead he never lost. He was still being closely tracked by Robin Spiller, but his Streaker was ill-adapted to the very light winds, refusing to point as high as the other dinghies, and his frequent rival, Adam Hilton, was able to overtake before the end of the first lap. Bob Sampson (Laser Full) had a frustrating start. Arriving at the line slightly too early, he thought to do a gybe turn but Roger Heasman’s Bosun (Linda Spiller crewing) was using the water needed for the gybe and Bob had to go the long way round resulting in his starting last. But at the end of lap 1 he was up to third and he overtook Adam Hilton on lap 2 to take second at the finish. The Bosuns spent both races in close company. Roger Heasman started in front but it was John Dabbs (with a visitor as crew) who finished the race in that position. Applying the handicaps gave Adam Hilton and his Solo, which finished a couple of minutes behind the winner on the water, the victory.

Tamar 6

The winds had moved a little eastwards and the top of the Lake, blanketed by the hills, was looking alarmingly glassy. Brian Pollard, running the races for the day, cut out the northernmost buoy, Pinky, and added in Dam Green in the south in the hope of supplying competitors with some wind. Robin Spiller again started first from the Home 2 start line, with Nathan Pollard and Bob Sampson following. The wind had picked up a little but the mist and the rain had descended, leaving competitors wet and chilly. Robin Spiller kept his lead on the way to West White but the Pollard and Sampson Lasers soon swept past with the Solo also getting ahead on lap 2. An added indignity was going aground in the shallow waters of a Tamar Lake already dropping in height; the Streaker retired. Roger Heasman led the close-running Bosuns at the end of lap1 but John Dabbs got ahead on lap 2 and finished each lap ahead, all of twenty five seconds ahead at the finish!

Grateful thanks were given to Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert, Officers of the Day, and to Mandy Pollard who took the photographs

by Adam Hilton