Wells Sailing Club welcomed a team from Frostbites for the second leg of the annual team match between the clubs for the Braconash Challenge Cup – held by Wells for the last five years.
Frostbites brought with them a 12-point lead from the first leg, which was held at Thorpe in January.
Sam Woodcock, for the Frostbites, sailing Titania and crewed by Stephen Ellingham, led from the start and, despite a strong tide and variable winds, won the race by some distance from William Gibbs (WSC), sailing Rock-a Bye and crewed by Commodore, David Pentney-Smith. Third was Chris Gibbs (WSC), sailing Tiger Sharp and crewed by Martin Few. These two boats pipped David Yapp and Bernie Woodcock who were close to finishing third but outdone by the tide and tactics of the home crews.
After changing over boats and some crews, the second race followed the same course but the finish was set down past the Pool buoy so nearer the town quay as by now the tide was flowing out. After a tight start and many place changes Woodcock, this time sailing Rock-a-Bye, again came in first with William Gibbs second in Titania this time crewed by Justine Sykes and third was Few, sailing Tiger Shark and crewed by Chris Gibbs.
Wells Sailing Club took second, third and fourth positions in both races earning 18 penalty points against 24 for Frostbites. However, the 12-point lead from the first leg meant Frostbites won the Braconash Trophy.
Horning SC
It was another busy weekend with the continuation of the Sundown Series on Saturday evening, followed by a breezy and eventful morning's racing on Sunday, with racing moving back onto Hoveton Little Broad for only the second time this season.
With moderate winds forecast, no boats opted to reef, although some found the conditions a little lively, with unexpected gybes proving challenging, particularly on the finish line where a sudden broach from a Yare & Bure almost took out the Committee boat.
The Yeomans, sailing with small jibs, revelled in the conditions - both races won by Geoff Stubbs (Tara). Gerry Hermer (Rebel Sailer) won in the Rebel fleet, whilst racing was very close in the Yare & Bures, just 16 seconds separating all the finishers in the first race. First was Kevin Saunders, helming Silver Cloud, ahead of Alastair Fields (Rosy Wave) and Ron Jackson (Holly Blue) with just one second separating second and third positions.
The second race saw Roger Hannant (Holly Blue) win, with Silver Cloud second and Rosy Wave third. First Cruiser was Fritillary, helmed by Malcolm Pritchard, with the lone dinghy being Edward Wildman's Laser. As the winds increased this resulted in several retirements during the morning, and as the forecast rain arrived at lunchtime enthusiasm to return to the Broad waned, and racing drew to a close.
This weekend the club is looking forward to hosting the Yachtmaster Insurance Three Rivers Race with more than 100 competitors taking part, racing starting from the clubhouse at 11am on Saturday.
Waveney and Oulton Broad YC
Six Phantom dinghies competed in their open meeting on Saturday. A light south-easterly breeze filled in just before the start and the sailing conditions were then good all day.
In the first race, Ben Falat of the home club led for two laps but at the end of the final beat lost out to Bob Portway from Royal Harwich YC, who took the win. Falat then went on to win the other three races and so was the overall winner with Portway second and Graham Dale-Jones from Creeksea SC third.
In the afternoon's club racing Nick Crickmore won the 1st Fast Handicap in his RS Vareo with Pete Matthews second in his Solo, just four seconds ahead on corrected time of James Nourse in his Laser. Matthews then won the next race with fellow Solo sailor Peter Playle in second place. Steve Harvey (Comet) was a late starter in the 1st Slow Handicap, having not realised where the committee boat start line was, but came through to win ahead of Geoff Ansdell (Laser 4.7). Similarly, Speedwell, sailed by Graham Reeve and Nic Asher, was late for the Waveney race, but caught up and took the lead, although they were later overtaken by Chris Wells and Roger Asher in Cuckoo Pint. In the Mixed Keels race, Speedwell led throughout and finished two minutes ahead of Denise Sinclair's Squib Slinky, with Jake and Trevor Balls third in their Waveney Creeping Jenny.
There was no sailing on Sunday because of powerboat racing.
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