Sailors frustrated by no wind in the Coronation Trophy races

Sunday May 7th saw very light winds which caused a day of frustration and curtailed racing. Only one morning race was possible due to no wind in the morning and race officers, Tricia Evison assisted by Duncan Watts and Martin Ashworth set a course with a B buoy at the bend, an A buoy about 50 metres upstream and a C buoy above the start line. Four Handicap class competitors and two Lightnings started a delayed starting first race with very little wind and most of the sailors found it extremely hard going. In the Handicap class, both Andrew Boxer (OK 69) and Jerome Dreux (OK 2007) retired from the race after difficulties finding headway, leaving Gary Adshead (OK 1990) and Clive Evison (P 1355) to battle it out for the win. Gary finished a clear winner. In the Lightning class, Andrew Yuille (LN 446), Martin Evans (LN 150) and Mary Webb (LN 178) battled for the win, but nobody managed to navigate the course and retired.

In the afternoon, there was more the same, Jerome retired from the race half way through after difficulties rounding the bottom buoy where there was no wind. Gary held the lead in the early part of the race, but on the final lap, Clive took the lead on the upstream leg and pulled away to take a convincing win. Gary finished second and Andrew Boxer retired after failing to get up the course. On correction, Gary won with Clive second. In the Lightnings, Andrew took an early lead from Martin and Mary, with Mary retiring after lap 2 after failing to get back up the course after rounding the C buoy. Andrew won the race from Martin. Only Andrew Boxer and Clive started the final race in the Handicap fleet, Mary was a non-starter in the Lightnings. Andrew Yuille was the only sailor to get close to the line for the start of the race with Gary, Andrew and Martin sat well below the line. Martin gave up after failing to move forward after five minutes. Andrew Yuille crept up the course and managed to navigate the course to take the win. Gary took an early lead in the Handicap race after a series of roll tacks up past the jetty and found a tiny amount of wind to move up the Berkshire bank. Behind, Andrew sat with Martin for five minutes going nowhere but eventually found some wind to move forward and chased after Gary. Gary was by this time well away and won by almost twenty minutes.

Andrew Yulle is the winner of the Coronation Trophy Lightning class and Gary Adshead is the winner of the Coronation Trophy Handicap class.