Ken Potts Wins By A Whisker

Gunfleet Sailing Club held some exciting sailing last Sunday 11 April 2021 when it staged one of its special “3 in 1” races for the Hertford County Shield.  The event consists of three back to back races, over a short course, with all three results counting towards the overall positions.  The bright sunshine was deceiving as a cold offshore wind, varying from force three to force five, blew over the top of the cliff, and the competitors made a fine sight as they bunched together in readiness for the first race.  Such was the angle of the wind that there was a good chance of hardening-up and making the first mark, up the coast at Kingscliff, without the need to tack.  Leading the way was the Dart 16 catamaran, sailed by Rob Mitchell and Brian Allen, which sat as close to the Inner Distance Mark as possible, whilst at the same time casting a wind-shadow over Ken Potts in his Laser.  Seizing this early opportunity was Andy Cornforth in his Laser who stayed clear and seemed to find his own puffs of wind.  Avoiding this close encounter was Derroll Pedder in his Solo who started further out to sea with the aim of nudging his boat up into the wind whenever the chance occurred.  By this time there had already been a couple of capsizes with Eddie White and Carlo Bardetti, both sailing Lasers, getting caught out by the fluky winds.  The Dart 16 was first to reach the buoy, closely followed by Potts; unfortunately Pedder, whose tactics seemed to have worked well, lost it when he capsized.  The second leg was a run out to the Seaward mark and while the dinghies ran straight for it, the catamaran tacked downwind.  There then followed a reach to the Lilley Farm buoy and then a beat back across the line.  Throughout the race Cornforth was really on the attack and it was hard to say who was going to take the top place but eventually Potts took the honour by three seconds.  In the second race Cornforth had a perfect start with Andy Dunnett second in his Laser, then Potts, and just behind was Yvonne Gough, also sailing a Laser.  Cornforth bore away more than the others, gaining maximum speed but having to travel further, a risky strategy but one that paid off for him as he rounded the Kingscliff buoy ahead of everyone.  Potts was having none of it and challenged at every opportunity but had to accept second place to Cornforth in the end.  The third and final race saw Clare Giles lead the pack in her Europe, followed by the Dart 16, several Lasers, and then Michael Gutteridge in his Solo, but all eyes were on Potts and Cornforth who, by now, both had a first and second place each.  As the race progressed so positions changed, and changed again, but taking the final race, and scooping-up the trophy, was Potts after a thrilling battle on the water. 

Results – Hertford County Shield:
1.    Laser – Ken Potts 
2.    Laser – Andy Cornforth
3.    Laser – Andy Dunnett