by Adam Hilton
No geese (or swans) were hurt in the taking of these photos! Mandy Pollard
Commodore 4
Bob Sampson and Nathan Pollard laid on another episode of their titanic struggle in this Commodore series. Despite the winds being strong and viciously gusty – there were several capsizes – they had full-sized sails on their Lasers and were again blown along at remarkable speeds when the wind was behind them. With these winds coming from points west, Geoff Floyd, running the day’s races, designed a start using the Home 2 line with West as the first buoy. Nathan Pollard started well but it was Linda Spiller with a mere 4.7 sail on her Laser who started best and rounded the mark first. Jane Anderson with another Laser 4.7 was not far behind and by the end of the lap had established herself as the leader of the 4.7s. Linda Spiller followed her until at the end – they completed five ten minute laps – Sue Murray, in the third Laser 4.7, overtook. Meanwhile Nathan Pollard and Bob Sampson were at the front of the fleet, never far apart until Bob capsized on lap 4, allowing Nathan to win on the water by two and a half minutes. The series’ personal handicaps turned the order upside down.
- Vicki Duncalf (Topper)
- Nathan Pollard (Laser Full)
- Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert (Bosun)
- Sue Murray (Laser 4.7) and equal, Linda Spiller (Laser 4.7)
- Jane Anderson (Laser 4.7)
- Bob Sampson (Laser Full)
- Adam Hilton (Solo).
Robin Spiller (Streaker Wave) retired
Spalding 4
Brian Pollard emerged from the starting melee around Home 2 having to do penalty turns. It led to a long hard race trying to make up water lost to the other Bosun of Roger Heasman and Linda Spiller. Nathan Pollard judged his tacks to West just right and rounded the buoy first with Bob Sampson following and Jane Anderson third. On the run back towards the dam Bob Sampson established himself in front of Nathan Pollard and the two big-sailed Lasers began again their run at the head of the fleet, only briefly interrupted by Nathan Pollard capsizing on lap 3. However no one was immune from the arbitrary intrusions of the winds. On the final lap, as the two Laser planed towards Dam Green, a gust caught Nathan Pollard in its embrace and took him up to where Bob Sampson was preparing to round the buoy. Nathan had the inside line and took the buoy first. In the few meters still to sail to the finish line Bob had no chance to retrieve his lead. Jane Anderson and Sue Murray had had their own Laser 4.7 battle behind the leaders, finishing fourteen seconds apart and the conventional boat-based handicap gave them first and second places above the big-sailed Lasers.
- Jane Anderson (Laser 4.7)
- Sue Murray (Laser 4.7)
- Vicki Duncalf (Topper)
- Nathan Pollard (Laser Full)
- Bob Sampson (Laser Full)
- Roger Heasman and Linda Spiller (Bosun)
- Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert (Bosun)
Grateful thanks to Geoff Floyd, officer of the day.