Ken Wins The Sixth Race In The Tony Chadd Series

Gunfleet Sailing Club’s midweek racing continued, on the evening of Wednesday 8 June, under a mix of weather conditions.  As the competitors rigged-up a squall blew through, resulting in a few Laser sailors changing rigs to give themselves slightly less sail area to handle.  Following a few spots of rain the sailors launched against a rainbow backdrop and felt the full impact of the gusting westerly wind.  First to capsize was Brian Allen in his Laser and this turned out to be the first of many on his part, but he wasn’t alone.  With high tide just minutes before the race began it allowed the helms to nudge op to the line, and at the start Simon Clarke lead in his Solo as the fleet beat down the coast to the Eastcliff buoy; Jono Dunnett’s Laser, and John Tappenden’s RS Aero both being to windward of him.  Tappenden’s tactic of starting close to the Inner Distance Mark, and therefore making the windward mark in one, certainly seemed to pay off as he was first to round it.  Other sailors tried different tactics; Clare Giles maximising the speed in her Europe by sailing wide but then having to tack to make the buoy.  Ken Potts was the second person to go round Eastcliff in his Laser, closely followed by Jono Dunnett, and then Clarke’s Solo.  The reach out to Lilley Farm buoy saw little change and after an interesting gybe Jono Dunnett closed the gap on Potts as they completed a broad reach to the AWS mark.  The fourth leg of the race, beating from AWS to ODM highlighted the strength of the freshly ebbing tide and the boats could be seen being swept towards Frinton, and it was on this leg that Allen capsized once more.  After heading back out to AWS it was another reach up the coast to Preston Park and then in to the Kingscliff mark before beating back to the line; it was at Kingscliff that Potts, now having pulled away from Jono Dunnett, managed to slip between the buoy and Tappenden to take the lead.  Slightly further back Dave Ingle capsized his RS Aero which, like Allen, was the beginning of a trend.  On the second lap Robert Mitchell capsized his Laser at the Lilley Farm gybe mark, followed by Andy Dunnett in his Laser, and then Allen and Ingle, not wanting to miss out, capsized too!  This allowed Giles to move up a few places and for Yvonne Gough to close the gap in her Laser.  By now Potts had gained a comfortable lead but both Jono Dunnett and Tappenden kept the pressure up until the very end.
 
Results – Tony Chadd Series - 6:
1.    Laser – Ken Potts
2.    Laser – Jono Dunnett
3.    RS Aero – John Tappenden