Sunday October 2nd saw a return to the light wind that has plagued this year’s sailing and only allowed two morning races to take place before sailing was cancelled after lunch.
Race officers Jerome Dreux and Clive Church set a simple course with a B buoy taken to port in both directions on the bend in its usual place, an A buoy taken to port and set midstream next to the two large willow trees and a C buoy taken to starboard and positioned a fair distance upstream of the jetty due to the lack of wind on the lower stretch of the river between the bend and the clubhouse.
Seven boats took the start and Gary Adshead (OK 1998), Duncan Watts (LN 431) and Andrew Yuille (LN 446) made the best starts from the Bucks bank side of the river leaving the other four sailors trailing. The field bunched up a bit as light breezes passed down the river and as they reached the A buoy Gary, Duncan and Andrew had been caught by James Long (OK 2130) and Mary Webb (LN 178) and they all rounded the buoy line astern. The sailors took different lines back to the bend to round the B buoy before the return to the line and Andrew led across the line just ahead of Gary with James third and Duncan fourth. There was a small gap back to Mary and then Christine Roy (LN 403) and Nigel Webb (LN 372). Gary moved into the lead on the second lap and the four leaders spread out a little. The top three bunched up on the final lap and Andrew moved into the lead as he found a good lift from the B buoy back to the line and finished just ahead of Gary with James just behind in third. Duncan was fourth, Mary fifth, Christine sixth and Nigel seventh. Andrew was therefore winner of the Lightning fleet and Gary winner of the Handicap fleet.
Peter Withrington (LN 442) and Roger Kelly (S 2401) joined the seven sailors for the second race and the wind had dropped a little. James made the best start from the middle of the river and headed to the bend. All the sailors were struggling with very light wind down the course and several sections with little to no wind, so going was very slow. James extended the lead all the way to the A buoy with Duncan moving into second and Andrew, Mary, Gary and Peter bunched together as they rounded the A buoy. James led across the line by thirty seconds from Duncan, then a gap of almost a minute to Andrew and Mary, then another thirty second gap to Peter and Gary with a further gap to Christine, Nigel (who decided to retire from the race at the end of the lap) and Roger. As the lap was around 25 minutes for the middle of the fleet, the sailors moved into the final lap of the race. James continued to extend his lead with Duncan still in second. However, Andrew was closely catching Duncan and he rounded the A buoy with about a thirty second lead. Peter had maintained the gap to Andrew in third and pulled away from Gary in fourth. They slowly returned back down the course and James came home to a healthy win. Duncan held of Andrew for second with Peter fourth. Mary managed to catch and pass Gary as they reached the line for fifth on the water. Christine finished sixth and Roger came home seventh. James therefore won the Handicap class and Duncan won the Lightning class.