Burghfield  16th September 2006

We shared the day with Streakers and Comets, and there was just about enough wind to go round - most of the time anyway! Twelve Streakers and ten Comets out-numbered us, but not enough to embarrass us. Four local Europes (brilliant) were joined by four visitors (slightly disappointing - I wonder if any turned up on Sunday by mistake!).

The first of three races saw  Richard Eagleton making a rare perfect start at the favoured committee boat end, and helped by a couple of good shifts up the first beat he sailed off into handsome lead, followed at a respectful distance by Katie Mapplebeck, Pat Forbes and Jeremy Carey, the new owner of Jane Steven's famous red boat. After the first lap, Richard slowed (weed or lack of talent?), Katie and Pat passed him on some dodgy shifts, then Jeremy sailed passed everyone into the lead. Thereafter Jeremy and Katie had a close battle way out in front while Pat held a clear third place until she faded at the end and let Richard through. Jeremy held his narrow lead until the last tack of the last beat when Katie slipped through to leeward to win.

After lunch Katie got away cleanly off a true start line, bang on the gun and going fast. Richard set off in pursuit, ahead of the rest of the fleet who were closely bunched together. For a while Richard looked to be closing on Katie, but tacking too close to the right hand island he was brought to a stop by the tell-tale crunch of dagger-board on gravel. Meanwhile Ian Foxwell had extricated himself from the bunch and began to threaten Richard's second place. Richard just kept control up the last beat, but then Jeremy appeared from nowhere on his own private port tack lift to overtake Ian for third place.

In the final race, Richard and Jeremy needed to beat each other to take the runner-up spot behind Katie, but anyone who had a fourth could have snatched second overall by winning the last race. However Katie stayed on the water and led comfortably at the first mark. Richard, Ian and Pat all thought they were going to be a clear second, but the wind had other ideas. First it went circular, then Jeremy's private lift came in again, and all four turned the corner together with Jane and Andy Harris close at hand. Almost everyone had a brief spell in second place, and several had a go at being almost last as well, as the wind faded. Finally Jeremy was solid in second place to secure the runner-up spot, a good result for the home club.