Girls beat the boys

Reports and results from the Niners at Thorpe Bay

Thorpe Bay Yacht Club y held it’s annual 9er open on the last weekend of September. The forecast did not promise a lot of wind but all six races were held over the two days.

Saturday's three races were light – the last race of the day proving a challenge for some against a strengthening tide and dying wind. Sunday did not look good but by the end of the day a good 10 knot Easterly had kicked in giving a great race for the last sail of the day.

In the 49er fleet the expected strong teams did not have it all their own way. Wins from Colin Goodman & Bruce Spratt and Mark & Paul Dell meant that the overall winners Paul Campbell-James & Mark Asquith had their work cut out and had to resort to match racing in the last race to ensure victory. National Champions Dylan Fletcher & Alain Sign kept a steady score to finish second overall.

The large fleet of 29ers was dominated in the light winds of Saturday and early Sunday by the girl teams of Francis Peters & Claire Lasko and Becky Diamond & Fiona Hampshire. The stronger wind in the last race of the event gave the boy teams a look in and along with some excellent sailing in the lighter winds James Hopson & Dan Henderson finished a very credible 2nd

Results - full results on www.TBYC.org
49er
1st Paul Campell-James & Mark Asquith
2nd Dylan Fletcher & Alain Sign
3rd Mark Dell & Paull Dell

29ers
1st Francis Peters & Claire Lasko
2nd James Hopson & Dan Henderson
3rd Nick Redding & Adam Hilton