Alastair McMichael had a successful return to Cookham with x wins in the club’s OK 1695 from a day of varying wind strength. The days started with drizzle and virtually no wind, the rain thankfully stopped just in time for the first race and the wind picked up slightly, but it was light from the south-west throughout the first race. The course set by race office, Clive Evison assisted by Lucinda Taylor consisted of an upstream start from the OD box up the A buoy set between the pair of willow trees and Andrews beach. This was set in the middle of the river and taken to starboard. The sailors returned back down the course through a series of tacks to the B  buoy set at the river bend and taken to port and down to the C buoy set in the middle of the river in front of the club river gate and taken to port to force a jybe.  An excellent turnout of twelve sailors for the first race with seven Lightnings, four OKs and one Laser taking the start.

Sailors had to choose between the Berkshire and Buckinghamshire bank for the race start with the Berkshire bank initially being the most successful and Andrew Boxer (OK 2196) taking an early lead from Alastair and Gary Adshead (OK 1998). Past the bend, the sailors on the Buckinghamshire side started catching up and at the A buoy Gary led with Andrew and Alastair just behind and then a small gap to Tricia Evison (LN 412) and Martin Evans (LN 150). By the end of the lap, Gary led with Alastair just behind, then Andrew, Tricia and Martin. Kevin Singleton (LN 124) capsized whilst in seventh on the second lap after a gust came through whilst tacking, but quickly got back in the boat. Tricia closed the gap and took the lead on the second lap with Alastair just behind, Martin third, Andrew fourth and Gary fifth. These five sailors had gapped the rest of the fleet. James Long (OK 2102) led the rest with Kevin Singleton recovering in sixth ahead of Nick Reuter (L 125425). On the final lap, Alastair retook the lead and crossed the line first, but Tricia was only 11 seconds behind and took the win on handicap. Martin Evans was third on the water and then a gap to Andrew with a further gap to Gary. James had closed some of the gap to Gary and finished sixth and Kevin had pulled back his gap and finished just behind James on the water.

The wind picked up for the second race and sailors jostled for position on the start line with Nick Reuter being recalled for being over the line at the race start. Sailors were spread across the river with changeable wind on the run to the bend, swirling wind and pockets on the bend and then a more consistent run once past the bend to the A buoy. The lead changed hands multiple times on the way to the A buoy with Martin Evans, Andrew Boxer, Christine Roy (LN 403), James Long (OK 2102) and Gary Adshead (OK 1998) all exchanging the race lead due the close racing. By the end of the lap, Martin had opened a gap in the lead with Andrew second, James third and Gary fourth. During the second lap, Alastair’s experience in OKs showed and he closed the gap to Martin and Andrew, passed both and took the lead. The three were racing for the lead with a small gap to James and Nick now in fifth ahead of Gary. Alastair pulled a gap on the third lap and now led Andrew with Martin third. These three held a good gap over James in fourth, Gary in fifth and Nick in sixth. Alastair held his lead to the flag with Andrew and Martin now battling for the runners-up spot and Andrew taking it by fifteen seconds on the water, but Martin second on handicap. James held on to fourth ahead of Gary with Nick gapped behind in sixth.

The wind increased further during the lunch break but had dropped back below the second race’s level by the start of the afternoon’s racing. Some of the sailors sat out the afternoon race and Clive Evison took over Tricia’s Lightning for the afternoon races with Tricia in the OD box. Seven sailors took the start, Alastair taking an early lead ahead of Gary. The bend proved difficult for many of the sailors and gaps immediately appeared as some got stuck in areas of the water with no wind. By the end of the first lap, Alastair held a good lead over Gary with a considerable gap to the rest with Clive (LN 412) third, Andrew fourth and James and Jerome Dreux (LN 155) battling for fifth. Alastair opened up a huge gap on the next lap and crossed the line at the end of the second lap over two and a half minutes ahead. Gary had dropped back with problems on the downwind leg and Clive passed him for second and Andrew was just behind him. James got into trouble at the bend on the second lap and dropped behind Nick. Andrew passed Gary on the next lap for third. On the final lap, Clive suffered issues with the fading wind and dropped behind Andrew and Gary. Alastair crossed the line for the win with Andrew second, Gary third, Clive fourth and Nick fifth.

The last race of the day saw a slight increase in wind. Seven sailors started with Alastair again taking an early lead, Andrew the only one staying with him. Behind Gary and James battled for third, then a small gap to Clive, Nick and Jerome. These battles continued throughout the race, but Alastair kept his lead throughout the race and took another win with Andrew a lot closer second this time. Then a considerable gap to the rest with Gary now on his own in third, James fourth and Clive and Nick fighting for fifth which Clive won and Jerome in seventh.