Ross sails to victory

21 September 2007

CONDITIONS were almost perfect on Oulton Broad on Saturday for the Optimist Open and 38 of the best junior helms in the eastern counties took full advantage.

With four races to be sailed and the best three to count consistency was essential and Ross Williams, from Grafham Water SC, with two firsts and a second won with four points to spare from Zach Brubert, sailing on his home water, who took a couple of races to find his touch.

He won the third race and took second in the last one but had to count a fifth in the second race which stopped him providing a closer challenge.

Ben Harden missed out on second place by just one point, counting a second, third and fourth while Thomas Needham, from Wroxham, won the first race but slipped back in the next three.

The entry was divided into Gold and Silver fleets and Poppy Woodcock, Eilan Needham and Catriona Maciver - all from the Norfolk Broads YC at Wroxham - occupied the top three places.

The wind had increased to about force four on Sunday and was blowing straight down the Broad, conditions which have been rare this summer.

There was a good fleet of 15 dinghies out in the first Fast Handicap race and Alan Cone got the best of the start while Duncan Madin failed to pull away from the fleet as he usually does and could not save his time on handicap as Alan won with Andy Jarvis moving up to third in his National 12.

There was one of the best turnouts of keel boats of the season but the Waveneys suffered by failing to take in a reef and the BODs had all the wind they wanted in a close race which was won by Tony Truman from Tim Barrett with Nick Truman third.

George Gower led the Waveneys for most of the race while Geoff

Little had a good race with Jack Pickering for second place which he narrowly won.

While the Waveneys were struggling, the wind was just right for the Squibs who were flying round.

They were led by David Hannant who got away at the start and although Peter Horton and John Hodges both challenged strongly early on in the end Hannant had a reasonable lead.

Conditions looked ideal for the Squibs which had been looking forward to having a better chance against the Waveneys than in the light conditions of most of the summer.

But, with one exception, the Waveneys decided it was too windy and stayed ashore, leaving the Squibs to finish in the same order as in the class race.

Results. Oulton Broad Optimist Open. Race 1 5237 (Thomas Needham); 5446 (Jack Rushton); 5307 (James Rushton); Race 2 5566 (Ross Williams); 5467 (Ben Harden); 5553 (Henrietta Brand); Race 3 5252 (Zach Brubert); 5566; 5262 (Fleur Page); Race 4 5566 (Ross Williams); 5252 (Zach Brubert); 5467 (Ben Harden); Overall 5566 (Ross Williams) 4pts; 5252 (Zach Brubert) 8 pts; 5467 (Ben Harden) 9 pts.

Sunday Fast Handicap (15) The Other Woman (Alan Cone); Get Over It (Duncan Madin); Red Snapper (Andy Jarvis). BODs (6) Shearwater (Tony Truman); Kite (Tim Barrett); Spoonbill (Nick Truman); Squibs (5) Supertoy (David Hannant); Confusion (Peter Horton); Slinky (John Hodges). Waveneys (10) Samphire (George Gower); Naiad (Geoff Little); Marsh Thistle (Jack Pickering); Lasers (10) 189606; The Other Woman; Passing Wind (Simon Marfleet). Mixed Keels (5) Supertoy; Confusion; Quackers (Vince Meadows).