A deluge when a front passed through during the night wasn’t enough to dampen the enthusiasm of keelboat crews contesting the fifth race of the HYC winter series on Sunday, August 11. A 12 to 15-knot westerly provided ideal sailing conditions, although challenging when choosing to fly a spinnaker.

Katie Tucker, Corinne Taylor, Gail Riley and Chris Blackney were in the start tower taking sign-on radio calls and ensuring no one got a head start before their allotted handicap fall number. The closest to the start line at their start time was Show Me once again, two seconds off. Thank you to the team for the efficient running of the race procedures.

In division one, Mulberry, showing no signs of weariness, having competed in the offshore Valmadre race the day before, surged to the front and left the three who started after them in their wake to win by seven minutes. Whispering Jack rocketed home, passing Perle to take second place with back marker and fastest, Lithium fourth. New to division one, Damian and Kerry Martin had Resolute steaming along to finish fifth.

Greg Hill on Not Negotiable carried on his winning ways with a first and fastest in division two, staying in front of fast-finishing back marker Farrouk. Pinta stayed ahead of both Show Me and Helga to finish in third place.

Peter Hibberd showed that former division one boat Hard Evidence hadn’t lost any of her speed to record fastest time in division three but had to settle for second place behind Kind of Blue. Despite taking the scenic route La Premiere recovered to finish third ahead of Tosca and Stelfred.

Race 6 and a re-sail of the lost Race 1 will be on the next two Sundays (18th and 25th) to complete the winter series.

John Bird