The weather forecasts were all over the place - the BBC has sunny Southerly 18kts, Met-Office had Southerly 12-32 Kts and sunny. In the end it was sunny, and SE 18-24kts although at times it felt closer to 27-28kts. The first challenge was to learn the course 24(p)Q(p)H(p)W(p)U(s)X(p)S(s)R(p)O(s), I refused to write it down- it’s just not sportsman-like, however it did make more sense when you were sailing it.
 
This week we hardly saw anyone. Good start, looks even better on the video – thanks Kim. 2^nd to the first mark, held out by Andy & Chewy. White sailed the short leg to NC12(Q), thinking we should have flown kite but did not want the Gybe, those that tried had mixed results so touch and go. Kite up at NC2 and the longest three sail blast to Hutchins. For us I knew when the big gusts were about to hit, it was when I had a moored boat or obstruction in the way to leeward. Andy & Chewy slowly edging ahead, we were having to defend Ian and Mike pushing up, and Crispin and Steve where flying to leeward. It was like being on a helter-skelter roller-coaster, you’d be picked up on a gust, bear away 20 degrees, get it all back under control, breath, climb back up again and go again.
 
Arriving at Hutchins was a bit of a relief, we could get on the beat for a rest, we’re comfortably 4^th, the winds fairly even over the course tack if it gets close to 113 on Port, otherwise stay in touch.

At Wych not a lot has change, the three chasers have slightly caught Andy & Chewy on the beat, but another 3-sail blast to Morris Lane. Bit lame this reach except I knew when we must be approaching the mark as one of the bigger gusts came and lifted just as we had to think about dropping – typical. No drama, kite down harden up for beat to X.
 
This is where it all gets tricky, we are getting stronger gusts, bigger holes, and its flicking around all over the place. As we approach X, Ian & Mike have chosen unwisely and several bad shifts later drop 50m behind us. Andy & Chewy and Crispin & Steve are around X and down the reach well out of touch. The reach to Stans was possibly one of the hardest we’ve done for a while, the change direction of wind and weight of the gusts, when they came, meant at some points we questioned if we were going to get anywhere near Stans as we charged off towards Poole lifting bridge.
 
Another gust, so we must be approaching Stans and back to a nice restful beat. We follow the leaders across to the island, take a shift halfway across to stay off Brownsea and approach on port.  The conversations going along the lines, do we have to put the kite up, well if the leaders put it up we’ll think about it, at this stage we’re on the home run in safe 3rd. Andy & Chewy round Rebbecks – no kite, Crispin & Steve round, no kite. We round, Nadia says, this is boring let’s put the kite-up. I do not need a second invitation. Bang and we’re off like a cork out of a bottle. The reach was easier that the leg to Stans, just flat out, little bit of kicker, pole up, back of the boat and hang on!. By the time we reached O we were with the front two.
 
The beat to the finish might have gone our way, Crispin & Steve had to tack out into the tide to avoid capsized youth, we were able to hold another 150m and then tacked and lifted into the box. In the end Andy & Chewy 1^st  Crispin & Steve 2^nd, 3^rd Chris and Nadia, not quite a beep-beep finish but definitely “where the hell did they come from”, and 4^th Ian & Mike.
 
What else happened - Richard and Alan caught the pin end of the line and had to go around, Richard & William thought the start was later and were late to the start and did well to pull out a 5^th. Ian & Kim got average points in the rib and took some great shots. In the bar afterwards, everyone has a story to tell, and there was a buzz around, always a sign that it was good sail.

Thanks to Fi for a brilliant course!
 
1^st           4052       Andy & Chewy
2^nd          4101       Crispin & Steve
3^rd           4025       Chris & Nadia
4^th           3966       Ian & Mike
5^th           4114       Richard & William
6^th           3922       Andrew & Peter
7^th           4088       Geoff & Paul
8^th           3966       Richard & Alan
9^th           3821       Patrick & Jackie
10^th         4036       Dick & Pete
11^th         3965       David & Keiron

Average Points          4115       Ian & Kim