Nationals Racing On Day 3

Following 2 days of no wind, racing finally started on Day 3 of the Goat Marine Enterprise National Championship in Looe. Light winds dominated the day with 3 races completed to kick start the regatta.

Race 1 started in a light north easterly breeze expected to reduce and shift through the course of the race. Darren and Hayley Roach held the pressure up the first beat to dominate the race from start to finish, followed by Paul Hobson and Craig Wheatly with Phil Ford and Jane Humpage recovering to take third. Towards the end of the race the wind disappeared, allowing the leaders to finish before a new sea breeze kicked in, turning some of the later finishers positions upside down.

The race officer decided to hold the fleet on shore for several hours, allowing a light sea breeze to kick in from the South West. Race 2 started with the early leaders coming from the committee boat end. Phil Ford followed by Dave and Jaz Jackman lead round the first mark at which point Dave and Jaz dominated the race to win by a significant margin. Martin and Abbi Honnor followed by Jeremy and Becca Stephens worked their way through the fleet to take second and third respectively.

Race 3 started in a stable force 2. Many of the early pace setters from race 2 started at the committee boat only to find themselves on the wrong side of a shift and increase in pressure on the left hand side of the first beat. New front runners in this race were Jeremy and Becca Stephens, taking control of the race to take a comfortable win. Following many place changes, Ollie and Archie Hawkins secured their first podium position at a championship, followed closely by Ges Brown and Julie Moore.

Report by Phil Ford Pictures by Paul Steeper