The Winter Series started on Sunday November 6th with five sailors competing for honours in the all-class Handicap series and two sailors sharing the race wins on the day.
Conditions were very similar to many recent sails with absolutely no wind early in the day causing the race start to be delayed. When it eventually picked up, a light south-westerly wind allowed race officers Mary Webb, Nigel Webb and Martin Ashworth to set a course starting from the OD box with the sailors passing a D buoy positioned upstream of the bend close to the Bucks bank to starboard and then rounding an A buoy to starboard set about halfway between the bend and the beach which was positioned midstream. The sailors returned downstream (and upwind) to the D buoy taken to starboard and then across the river to a B buoy upstream close to the Berkshire bank and taken to port. They returned downstream to the finish line and rounded a C buoy set midstream near the bottom of the jetty.
The five boats took the start with Martin Evans (LN 150) making a jump start and having to return to the line. By the time the sailors had reached the bend, Jerome Dreux (OK 2007), Nick Reuter (L 125425) and James Long (OK 1990) had moved into the lead after taking a downwind line close to the Bucks bank whilst the two Lightnings hugged the Berkshire bank and found less wind. Jerome rounded the A buoy first but clipped it on the way past and had to perform his penalty turns dropping him behind James and Nick. James led around the D buoy and had opened up a good lead, but he clipped the B buoy and dropped behind Jerome and Nick as he served his penalty. At the line, Jerome led, James second, Duncan Watts (LN 431) third, Nick fourth and Martin fifth. The winds were lightest on the lower part of the course and Duncan moved into second after catching a nice gust to round the C buoy at the end of the second lap whilst Martin passed Nick for fourth. On the final lap, James retook second on the upwind leg between the A buoy and the D buoy, but Jerome held on to his lead he had taken on the first lap to take the win with James a minute behind in second, Duncan close behind in third, Martin a distant fourth and Nick fifth. After Handicap adjustment, Duncan took the win, Martin second, Jerome third, James fourth and Nick fifth.
The five boats took the start for the second race and it was closely fought with four of them taking the Bucks side of the river and Duncan staying on the Berkshire side. Jerome moved into the lead by the bend with Martin second, Nick third, James fourth and Duncan fifth and dropping back after a poor start hampered by less wind on the Berkshire side. They rounded the A buoy in those positions, but as James rounded the D buoy his halyard snapped and he retired from the race. At the line, Jerome had opened up a good lead over the rest. On the second lap, Jerome was slowed in lighter winds and Martin closed the gap. Martin passed Jerome for the lead at the start of the third lap whilst Duncan found an amazing gust on the third lap and caught the pack moving into the lead and all four were separated by ten seconds as they crossed the line at the end and it looked like a great battle for the win would take place over the final lap. At this point, the wind started picking up considerably as a storm front appeared on the horizon and a strong gust caught out Duncan and Martin capsizing both. Martin quickly recovered, but Duncan had difficulty righting his boat near the bank and fell to the back. Jerome and Nick were battling over the lead as they rounded the A buoy, but Nick overpowered in a gust and hit the buoy requiring a penaltly which left Jerome clear to take the win with the carnage going on behind. Nick finished second, Martin third and Duncan fourth. After Handicap adjustment, Martin won, Jerome second, Nick third and Duncan fourth.