Alton Water 5th - 6th May 2007

Two welcome new faces appeared at the Alton Water Open - Mike Gilson from the home club, getting to grips with Robert Laurie's old boat, and Chris Catt of Downs Sailing Club, first time on the water in GBR355. Both newcomers were modest about their position on the learning-curve in the pre-race chit-chat, then spoiled the image completely by taking first and second places in the opening race.

Four races were sailed on the light and shifty Saturday. Chris got the best of the staring battles each time and picked the right shifts to stay in control throughout. Mike slipped to third after the opening race, and Jane showed much-improved light weather cunning, pressing Chris in the last race of the day, while Richard looked for a suitably large calm patch to fall into.

Sunday dawned windier, and the start of the day was marred by Richard ramming Mike instead of looking where he was going. Then proceedings were delayed as a squall swept the lake, but at least as the swimmers were eventually all gathered up Mike had time to patch up his boat and get back on the water. Chris again got the best of the start, but a couple of dodgy moments at the gybes gave Richard some encouragement, and in the final two races Richard actually led for part of the way, but got caught in bad traffic (the Splashes starting as we went through the line for the second lap), and then capsized spectacularly to give Chris a clean sweep of seven wins at his first Europe event.