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Racing's anything but a breeze at Felpham
Wednesday night racing took place at Felpham Sailing Club in sunshine and a stiff sea breeze from the south west.
Race Officer Bob May set a course which used almost every buoy available to him, and the racers revelled in many sail settings they had to make.
One of the first boats to the windward mark was that of Catherine Davies and Alison Hirons, who was making her first sail of the season.
Guy Mayger (RS700) took a capsize early on while Olly Ponsford (RS600) was going fast upwind but finding the turns difficult, and after a quick dip he allowed Nick Farrer (RS600) to speed away to victory on handicap.
Peter Jones (Blaze) got away from many of the other boats, but as the breeze eased, he found it difficult to keep his boat on the plane and came in second on handicap.
The race officer sent the fastest boats round the course one more lap than the others, and this allowed Ponsford to take third place.
On Sunday, sunshine and a northerly led to race officer Howard Barker running racing from a committee boat.
Many boats found it difficult to get into clear air off the start line.
Tim and Sally Cutsforth (Laser 4000) got away, with Will Parrett and Chris Grosscurth (RS400).
Catherine Davies, with Amanda Moxley crewing for her in their RS200, got off to a good start. But their speed slowed and they realised their bung had been forgotten.
Sailors also had to contend with a 180-degree shift in the wind.
The blaze sailors adapted well to the changes. Jones swapped places with Simon Caird and Dave Brown throughout but Jones took a win on handicap with Parret/Grosscurth second and Caird third.
The increased wind held for the second race. A heavily-biased start line made nearly all boats tack on to port to cross and get into clear wind.
The single-handed trapeze boats took advantage and sped away.
The strong flooding tide was an important factor and boats going up the right of the beat made big gains.
Mayger dominated in his RS700 and took a win on the water and handicap, beating Nick Farrer and Chris Whitney.
Later, a smaller fleet took to the water. Nick Farrer and Olly Ponsford, in Blazes, had a very tight race, with Farrer pulling away slightly when he held his line on a very fast ebbing tide.
Davies and Moxley (RS200) sailed a much faster race to come third.
BOGNOR
With warm sunny conditions and a souh-easterly breeze, the largest fleet this season took to the water for the start of the summer series of races for catamarans.
Martin White, in his Dart 18, came in first ahead of John Oliver and Andy Hannibal in their Hobie 16. Ken Green and his son were two minutes behind the winner in third.
The second race, The Sparrow Cup, saw Joe Elwin and Frances Ranson, in a NACRA 500, led from the start.
The result could have been different but for an enforced gybe by Paul Adams and George Richards, who were second.
Third-place crew were Martin White and Alan Bennett.
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Weather for Chichester
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 13 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: South west
