The EACC River Cruiser Class Open at Thurne Mouth saw 18 boats start the first race, the first of three over the weekend for the Moth Salver trophy.
Race one was the pursuit, with starting times based on handicap, the slower boats starting earlier in order of handicap, to be pursued by the increasingly faster boats. This normally results in the boats grouping together towards the end of the race and this year was no exception.
Adding in to the mix the normal holiday river traffic and the wherry Hathor making a guest appearance during the long beat up the Bure towards St Benets, spectators were not disappointed by the extreme close combat.
The moderate westerly breeze, around 12-14 mph suited Halcyon, helmed by Roger Wilson, who took full advantage to quickly pass the four boats which started in front of him and slowly open a good lead, eventually finishing ahead of Pippinjack, with Lyra (Paul Carrington) third.
Sunday's wind, while remaining firmly in the west, increased to a good 14-16, gusting up to 20, which was enough to cause the larger rigged craft to call it a day.
The morning race was a straightforward timed roundabout – Melinda (Paul Howes) proved fastest over the water finishing in a brisk 49 minutes, but lost out to winner Beth (Glynn Howarth) on handicap with a corrected time of 48.36.
The final race was a more conventional 'round the cans' with split starts.
In the first start, Melinda and Breeze (Colin Chettleborough) crossed the line neck and neck, and stayed glued together for the whole race. Around the hour mark the wind started to die off, leaving the slower boats in the later starts no chance of making up time on the quicker earlier starters.
This left the battle for honours between the first and second starts, and poor Melinda, again quickest over the water, lost out to Breeze for second place on handicap.
Not far behind them, however, lurked Beth, also in the first start but a crucial four points off on handicap, who sailed her own race very efficiently and claimed the winners podium.
When all the results for the weekend were collated the overall winner of the Moth Salver, with two firsts and a fifth, was Glynn Howarth in Beth.
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