17th March 2013 gallery images Stuart Mealing gets away well at the start of the midday race, with Bob Sampson and Nathan Pollard just behind in the RS 200 Close quarters racing at Inlet: L to R – John in the Topper, John Dabbs in the Bosun (with helm Adam Hilton hidden) and James Pollard in the Topper Bob Sampson leaning out to keep the RS 200 flat whilst heading the fleet Start of the afternoon race: Bob Sampson nicely positioned to windward in the RS 200, but Paul Whybrow in pole position in the Solo
April 21st 2013 gallery images Start of the midday race: in a gentle wind, Bob Sampson and Nathan Pollard in the RS200 lead the fleet towards the first mark at Dam Green The fleet takes the dogleg around Zebra; Roger Heasman and James Pollard have got the RS 200’s asymmetric flying Later in the race, Simon Veal and Elliot Pomeroy keep the Enterprise of Alan Comber and John Weller at bay In the afternoon race, Paul Whybrow heads the restart after a General Recall The wake of Jane Chadney’s Laser Radial hints that the wind is now gaining strength across the middle of the lake The entire fleet in shot as Roger Heasman and Nathan Pollard approach Inlet White in the lead. On the lake for the first time is Steve Harrisson’s Express dinghy, tracking the fleet round the course at the back.
April 28th 2013 gallery images In the midday race, Jane Chadney gets away first on a broad reach to the first mark at Dam Green The fleet bears away round Zebra, with Elliott Pomeroy going well in the Topper; good to see Sue Murray out in the Topper Trez Playing follow-my-leader behind Mary Carter, in the Laser Radial, with Alan Comber and John Weller going well in the Enterprise Bob Sampson and Nathan Pollard get the asymmetric pulling well on the downwind section back to the start line. Roger Heasman and James Pollard in the RS200 now ahead of Mary Carter The wind had increased by the afternoon race, as the sight of the Bosun with three up (and all sitting out) confirms, though John looks very comfortable in the Topper Steve Axford starting to kick up an impressive plume of spray in the Laser Radial, as he bears away towards Inlet White, but with RS200, Solo and Streaker not far behind Bosun going downwind at speed; impressive mast bend on Steve Axford’s Laser Radial in the background
5th May 2013 gallery images Adeney demonstrating how clean he keeps the bottom of his Graduate as he chases the Bosun in the afternoon race Elliot Pomeroy going really well in his Topper as he approaches Zebra mark Jane Anderson at speed, planing in her Laser Radial as she attempts to make up a deficit of over a lap behind the earliest starting boats In the foreground, Bob Sampson and Nathan Pollard in the RS200 and Adam Hilton in his Solo Later in the race, the Enterprise approaches Zebra once again, overtaking John’s Topper, but in turn in danger of being caught by Roger Heasman in the Streaker Just before the hooter sounds for the end of the race, Roger Heasman’s Streaker heads the Bosun as they pass Zebra, but James Pollard, the runaway winner in his Topper in the left of shot, is already beating back up the lake towards West
19th May 2013 gallery images Start of the midday race: Bob Sampson gets away first, with Adam Hilton’s Solo squeezed just inside and Jane Anderson and Roger Heasman close behind Start of the midday race: Bob Sampson gets away first, with Adam Hilton’s Solo squeezed just inside and Jane Anderson and Roger Heasman close behind On a broad reach back from from Inlet White to Zebra, the Graduate well up the fleet on the first lap, keeping up with Roger Heasman’s Streaker. The pairing of Sue Murray and Alex Clifton also going very well, as would be reflected by their eventual third place on handicap John Weller’s Laser and Mary Carter’s Laser Radial try different tacks on the beat up the lake on the second lap, but they were still close together at the finish Jane Chadney gets a good line up the centre of the lake for the Bosun on the windward leg of the second lap John leading a trio of Toppers and John Weller on an altered course for the afternoon race, beating towards Inlet White Struggling towards Inlet White, as the lee of the hill reduces the power of the Northerly breeze, whilst in the foreground, the Toppers are still running down towards Dam Green Heading back to shore after a good race
26th May 2013 gallery images Circling before the start, waiting to begin the beat up to West White in the gentle and fluky breeze A group of boats still circling, with Sue Murray and Alex Clifton (the eventual winners on handicap in the Topper Topaz) on the right Almost the entire fleet in shot, with most helms opting for a port tack start, following a run in from the near the shore next to the Dam With the midday race now underway, the trio of Roger Heaman’s Streaker, Jane Chadney’s Laser Radial and Sue and Alex in the Topper Topaz all in very close contention Just after the start of the afternoon race, a group of boats tightly bunched in the middle of the fleet, but Bob Sampson and James Pollard are away out ahead in clean air Adam Hilton and John Dabbs close on the heels of Nicky Buckett, Rachael Pomeroy and John Leveridge A quartet of boats being pushed straight up the lake by the afternoon’s building breeze on the beat to West White The RS200 heeling as it beats to West White, whilst boats on the previous lap run down towards Middlle and prepare to gybe before heading to Inlet White, as the Bosun is already doing
2nd June 2013 gallery images Not racing, but really nice to see John Savage back on the water on Sunday, after the long lay-off following his fall; thanks to Adam Hilton for the photo
9th June 2013 gallery images James Pollard test drives a Pico, whilst Nathan looks comfortable in the Topper Although it was a day that overall had relatively little wind, there were still some sudden gusts, as the angle of heel of Nathan Pollard’s Topper shows Crowded in the middle of the lake; James Pollard and Jane Chadney head in opposite directions Circling before the start of the midday race, Adam Hilton heads back for another circuit, whilst the remainder of the helms search for that elusive starting position for a start on the less-used Start Line 2 At the start, Nicky Buckett streaks into clean air and leaves the rest of the fleet trailing, though John Savage’s Solo also looks to be well away Another classic shot of the bulk of the fleet bearing away at Zebra and heading for West White Almost the entire fleet in shot as they head up to Pinky and turn back down the lake. Two Solos in the foreground, with Adam Hilton heading John Savage; John Weller also seems to be getting his Laser to move well in the fluky breeze
30th June 2013 gallery images Circling before the start of the midday race Just after the start of the midday race: James Pollard and Bob Sampson are hiking hard as the RS200 leans to a gust, whilst Vicki Duncalf keeps her Topper level; Roger Heasman in the background in his Streaker Jane Anderson in her Laser Radial about to be overtaken by the RS200 flying its gennaker Sue Murray in the Topper Trez ahead of the duo of Jane Chadney in the Laser 4.7 and Paul Whybrow in the Solo A panoramic shot of the afternoon race Lee Bartrop in the Topper in the Pursuit, with Jane Chadney’s Laser 4.7 catching up behind. In the background, Paul Anderson still has some catching up to do in the Laser
7th July 2013 gallery images Circling before the start of the midday race – never knew the Dam was quite that shape…! Excellent shot from the vantage point of the Dam as the fleet starts the midday race, with Roger Heasman’s Streaker and Sue Murray’s Topper Trez at the front of the fleet Sue Murray going well to be just ahead of Jane Anderson’s Laser as they pass the rowing club’s gig, on the way back towards the Dam The sort of sunny Sunday we haven’t seen too many of in the past year or two: Sue Murray heads back up the lake James Pollard, in the Laser 4.7, has got clear water ahead of the group behind at the start of the afternoon race John Savage’s Solo with a clutch of Toppers just behind on the run back down the lake Great action shot of Katie Leveridge hiking out to the max as her Laser Radial rides a gust