By Isle of Wight Observer
It is clearly going to be a very different summer this year and fleet numbers, particularly of Redwings, are expected to be significantly lower than normal years. It was therefore great to see seven Redwings and five One-Designs heading out of the harbour.
Both classes had two races; in the first Redwing race, No 21 ‘Redwing’ and No 47 ‘Musicus’ got the best start. But it was Snowgoose helmed by Jonathan Nainby-Luxmoore who just came in ahead of Musicus and Redwing. In the second race, Olav Cole in Redwing built up a nice lead and finished ahead of Joe Robertson in Red Gauntlett II.
The One-Designs had the same courses for their two races. Hugh Doherty with his socially distancing crew of Oli Laughton-Scott in No 10 won both with Penny Stanley and her socially distancing crew Mark Grzegorczyk in No 9 second in both.
The following day there was champagne sailing for five Redwings, three One-Designs and three Scows. After an excellent start, the Redwings enjoyed the best part of an hour and a half race that culminated in a testing final beat from Derrick to the finish at Pepe. Although it looked at one stage that Red Gauntlet II was going to end up as the winner, Olav Cole held his nerve and crossed the line a couple of boat lengths ahead of Snowgoose and Red Gauntlet II.
There were only three One-Designs racing. They followed a similar but slightly shorter course and there was little between them throughout the race. Indeed, all three led at one stage or another. However, after the challenging final beat from Derrick to the line at Pepe, it was Jos Coad in No 8 who crossed first three boat lengths ahead of Mark Grzegorczyk in No 9.
There were only three takers for the Scow race. After a three round windward leeward course, Oliver Morgan crossed the line just ahead of Rob Orr and Anne Barlow.
It was great to be back on the water and racing; hopefully numbers will build as we move forwards to whatever the ‘new normal’ brings us.
Next Saturday morning is the joint Redwing and One-Design Zanen (Long distance) Trophy with normal racing on Sunday morning.
