The glorious Spring weather disappeared and was replaced with damp, overcast conditions for the second week of the season at Horning Sailing Club.
Easter Sunday saw Hoveton Little Broad open for the weekend, with racing taking place. A mixed fleet of Yeomans, YBODs, a Reedling, Rebel, Cruiser and Dinghies took the opportunity to get in some early-season sailing, completing two races.
Toby Fields, sailing Tanskey, and Kevin Edwards, sailing Avocet, battled it out in the Yeomans, taking a win each, whilst Alister Bourke made it consecutive wins in Nevada Blue, having recently swapped his Laser for a Whiteboat.
Eight dinghies, ranging from a Fireball to Lasers and Splashes, sailed, with the Edwards family making it a podium finish with eldest daughter Ellie winning the first race ahead of younger sister Pippa, and mum Jo third. The second race saw Pippa and Ellie swapping places, and Edward Wildman's Fireball third. As
Easter Monday's planned downriver race to Thurne was abandoned on account of a poor forecast.
Norfolk Punt Club enjoyed the second annual Barton Bunny Easter Pursuit race on Saturday, writes Alan Davis.
Despite the forecast and very cold conditions a small, perfectly-formed fleet set off in four separate starts to enjoy the first race of the season.
Marsh Ringlet (YBOD 126), helmed and crewed in turns by Simon Adler, Andrew and Robert Friend and Brigitte, took the lead at the second mark after Pessimist (Laser Radial) went the wrong way, to take the win. Second was Fred Wickham with brother Rupert in Zhaba (Wayfarer 3045) who steadily crept up on five of the six boats that started ahead of them. Third overall was John Seeley in Lilac Beauty (YBOD 139), with Alison Sawyer and Jannie Seeley.
The Barton Bunny was introduced last year as a fundraiser for the Norfolk Punt Club Centenary Fund, raising monies for the next generation of pontoons. It was the brainchild of Max Dixey, a younger member of the club, who ran the event. This year two other younger members, Bea Craker-Horton and Roseanna Sawyer did the honours. All competitors went home with chocolate bunnies.
The 12 dinghies that competed in the Laser and Singlehanders open meeting at Waveney & Oulton Broad Yacht Club on Sunday had to contend with very light and tricky wind conditions.
Richard Smith won the Laser event, counting two first places, with Jonathan Jones taking second place overall.
In the Fast Handicap fleet, Mark Langston's Streaker and Alan Cone's Solo each had a first, second and third and so they finished tied on points, but Langston was the winner on tie-break, while there was also a tie for thirdrd place between Richard Fryer (RS300) and Jon Blankley (Streaker).
The Slow Handicap fleet consisted of only two Toppers but the racing was very close and they won a race apiece, so a tie was declared between Max Stratford and Jamie Dobson.
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