Cardiff team racing

Bristol Thirds beat Oxford Ladies

Cardiff University hosted their first open team-racing event since moving to Cardiff Bay over the weekend of February 14/15. Teams from Exeter, Bristol, Oxford, Swansea, and two teams from the host club were faced with light winds and some large pieces of debris floating out of the mouth of the River Taff.

As the weekend passed, it emerged that the wind gods shared the sailors’ interest in the six nations as the wind died shortly before kick-off on both days. This didn’t hinder the planned sailing at all. Thirty-one races were run on the Saturday leaving five more from the round robin to be run on Sunday morning. After the completion of the round robin, the fleet was split into a gold and silver league, and each completed another
round robin.

The sliver league contained both Swansea teams alongside Exeter and Cardiff 2. Cardiff 2 proved that having several severe hangovers in your team can prove an advantage, and won the league undefeated.

Racing was much tighter in the gold league, with a semi final round still leaving three teams on an equal position. Eventually this tie was broken in favour of Bristol 3rds, who went on to sail against Oxford ladies in the best of three final.

Both teams entered the final determined to win. In the tight races both teams showed that they knew their stuff. However, Bristol showed that they could manage the tight situations better, and won the final in two races.

Overall Results:
1st Bristol 3rds
2nd Oxford Ladies
Silver fleet 1st Cardiff 2nds