Alan MallettHorning enjoyed gusty conditions for their opening event, a downriver to Thurne, sailed in near record time despite an adverse tide. The majority of the fleet, comprising Cruisers, Yeomans, White Boats and a solitary RS Feva, completed the course in under an hour.Alan Mallett

Horning enjoyed gusty conditions for their opening event, a downriver to Thurne, sailed in near record time despite an adverse tide.

The majority of the fleet, comprising Cruisers, Yeomans, White Boats and a solitary RS Feva, completed the course in under an hour. This was at least in part attributable to the clearer winds resulting from recent tree felling near Ant Mouth.

Increasing winds made the return trip no less speedy, indeed John Holden, in his cruiser Reflection, recorded a time difference of only 24 seconds on each leg, on both of which he was the leading boat.

The Yeomans proved competitive, James Buntin taking the honours downriver and Paul Clarke upriver. The solitary dinghy, the RS Feva, sailed by James and Laura Galloway, came to a soggy end near Ranworth Dyke when the toe-strap broke and James made a precipitate entry into the river.

Frostbites sadly did not experience the same wind strength and on that basis Paul Tegerdine decided to finish the down-river at the head of Postwick Grove. The time taken equalled that of the entire race a week ago to Bramerton.

For the record the Geoffs Evans and Coulthard won, followed two minutes later by John Atkinson and Leona Levine. The beat back to Whitlingham saw Ray Johnson and Wendy Bush beat the Geoffs, Coulthard now in the driving seat, by almost two minutes.

Sue and David Grief enhanced their reputations by finishing a good minute clear of one time Burton Cup winner John Atkinson, while Jan Hubbard found that a chainsaw attached to her masthead would have proved rather more effective than her flag as she got entangled in an overhanging tree on the final bend while battling to get into third spot, ran hard aground, and had to be towed off.

Hickling enjoyed a breezy day with Jim Rosser and Jordan Rumsby dominating the 16 starters, each gaining a first and second, while Jane Pye proved most consistent with a trio of third guns,

On Saturday NBYC host a Topper Open followed by a Wayfarer Open on Sunday, prior to embarking on their annual Sailing School, running from Monday through to next Friday, with the traditional Optimist Open following on the Saturday. This Sunday also sees WOBYC's Lady Mayhew Trophy races.

On April 17 and 18, we have the first two-day events, Northern Rivers taking their Production Cruisers to Barton for their Spring Trophy, and Yare Valley opening their season with a weekend on Cockshoot Broad. On Sunday only, Hickling host the Laser Travellers Open, while Horning hold their Open downriver race to Acle Bridge and back.