Strutt & Parker UK Mirror Nationals - day 3, Bertie & Felix win

Day 3 photos by Mary Pudney - click to expand

With only 4 races completed over the previous two days, the fleet launched early to try and get some more races on the board. Once again, a light breeze from the SW came in and eventually settled, allowing race 5 to start using a windward - leeward course. The fleet got away at the third attempt under a black flag, but, from my viewpoint, it looked like some boats were over.

With the tide starting to flood there was only one place to start - at the pin, and only one way to go - inshore, out of the tide. Once again it was Martin &  Henry Jones in "Forget Me Knot" who lead around the 1st mark with Bertie Fisher & Felix Kent in "Lady Dashalot" 2nd and Vince Horey & Francesca Aston 3rd. With the tide dominating, there was little choice of which way to go on the beats or runs, so the leaders held these positions to the finish line. However Martin & Henry and Vince & Francesca along with another 7 boats were OCS, so Bertie & Felix won with Nigel Thomas & Sam Jones in "Arthur Lambchop" 2nd and Tim & Ellie Rush in "Mischief" 3rd.

After race 5 the wind dropped and it started to rain, then the wind returned and the sun came out and race 6 was started, however the wind dropped again while boats were still on the beat against the tide. A gaggle of boats eventually mananged to get around the windward mark, by which time what wind there was had shifted left leaving them with a beat to the gybe mark. Eventually the race was abandoned and the fleet returned to the club to pack up, have tea and the prizegiving.

Final Results - Sailed: 5, Discards: 1, To count: 4, Entries: 56, Scoring system: Appendix A

Prizegiving photos by Martin Egan - click to expand

Trophy Winners

(Trophies in strikethrough text were not returned)