Acle Regatta started off last Saturday in Force 4 gusting to 6 winds, when two Keelboats and 11 cruisers sailed the first of three races. The cruiser race, for the Curiosity Cup, proved exciting as Dave Smith won from Richie Dugdale, with Steve Seeney third, while John Cox's Zingara displayed some nautical schizophrenia at the downwind mark when a sudden gust inspired the mast to go straight on while the hull rounded.

Acle Regatta started off last Saturday in Force 4 gusting to 6 winds, when two Keelboats and 11 cruisers sailed the first of three races.

The cruiser race, for the Curiosity Cup, proved exciting as Dave Smith won from Richie Dugdale, with Steve Seeney third, while John Cox's Zingara displayed some nautical schizophrenia at the downwind mark when a sudden gust inspired the mast to go straight on while the hull rounded.

The result, an impressive heel well past 45 degrees and a quantity of Bure shipped. Another casualty was Paul Steven's Amaryllis, with a broken gaff.

Happily, Sunday proved calmer, and the Pursuit Race saw a win for Colin Chettleburgh's Breeze, with Cox second.

The final Cruiser race produced a second win and overall championship for Chettleburgh, with Dugdale second and Cox third, reversing their places in the pursuit race, while Phil and Liz Ollier, joining the keelboat fleet on Sunday, each scored a win in their races.

Acle Regatta is very much a community event, with a wide range of sponsors including Acle Parish Council, Whitegate Farm Cider and Boats 'n Bits. As well as providing a great weekend for all organisers expect to raise a further significant sum for local charities, Acle Voluntary Aid, East Anglian Air Ambulance, and the East Anglian Childrens' Hospice being this year's chosen beneficiaries.

A total of 19 enthusiastic Topper helms, from eight clubs, reported to Hickling on Sunday for three pleasant races in Force 2 winds.

The first saw Rollesby's James Wilson romp to victory, leading all the way with some outstanding downwind work.

But in the second he fought it out all the way with Hickling's Jordan Rumsby, who eventually emerged on top while Wilson lost second place to George Meredith, from Rutland, almost on the line.

The third race was almost a re-run of the first, save that this tine it was NBYC's Anna Ackroyd leading all the way, with Rumsby second and Nathan Ackroyd third.

Rumsby did just enough to take the day's honours by one point from Wilson, with Meredith third and the Ackroyds fourth and fifth, four points separating the five.

When it comes to enthusiasm the Norfolks took some beating. With the wind gusting to over 20 knots their second race on Wroxham Broad saw Geoff Coulthard and Geoff Evans cross the line first after four rounds.

But, advanced mathematics never having been Coulthard's strong point, they insisted on doing a fifth round, duly followed by Martin and Jenny Broom, Chris Jeckells and Mike Tims, and two others. During the course of all this Jeckells, first race winner, made his way into the lead, but to no avail. Sunday produced two more wins and the Marks Cup for Coulthard.

The coming weekend is, of course, the Whit Bank Holiday, when the major event is the 60th Thurne Mouth Open regatta.

This three day extravaganza is expected to attract well over 30 assorted cruisers and keelboats and perhaps some dinghies, sailing on the finest river course on the Broads.

Other events are NBYC's BOD Open, the Leisure Owners Association meeting at Womack, and Yare SC's cruise to Geldeston, all over all three days of the holiday.

On Sunday only GYGSC host an ppen for single-handers, and from Tuesday. May 29 to the end of the following week WOBYC have their Junior Regatta.

The following weekend is dominated by Horning SC's Three Rivers Race, sponsored again by Navigators and General, attracting around 100 starters.

NBYC, meanwhile, caters for the youngsters with a Junior Regatta on Friday June 1, followed by an Optimist Open on Saturday, June 2.

At the other end of the scale RNSYC hold their June Regatta, Friday through to Monday.