Ken Takes The First Autumn Series Race

Gunfleet Sailing Club held the first race in its Autumn Series on Sunday 11 October 2026 under blue skies coupled with unbroken sunshine.  The westerly force 3 to 4 wind resulted in a mixture of rigs as the competitors studied the course and took to the water ready for the “off”.  With a flood tide, the Race Officer laid a buoy a very short way up the coast which was to be the first leg before rounding and beating back down to the St. Michael’s mark.  The tide certainly held the fleet back, which meant a clean start and a quick reach with Ken Potts leading the way in his RS Aero and immediately opening the gap.  Behind him was Adam Kedge in his Laser who was battling it out with Brian Allen in his RS Aero and as the two arrived at the first mark, Allen slipped tight round and pulled away; Kedge now finding himself doing battle with John and Charlie Heath in their RS 200.  Even at this early stage in the race, the wind began to veer a little and provided the possibility of making St. Michael’s in one, but relied on not over-pointing.  Behind these leaders were Paul Stanton and Andy Dunnett in their Lasers, along with Paul Jackson in his RS Aero.  Unfortunately Kedge capsized near the St. Michael’s buoy but wasted little time in righting his craft; Potts continuing to pull away at the front.  The next leg was a reach out to the Seaward buoy and the Heath’s took the opportunity to hoist their asymmetric spinnaker and downwind tack their RS 200.  As the dinghies rounded Seaward it was Potts first, followed by Allen and then the Heaths; the Lasers of Kedge, Stanton and Dunnett being the second tranche.  It was then a fetch into the AWS mark before a run up the coast to the Preston Park buoy.  Whilst Jackson was trailing the three Lasers there was a further battle, behind him, as Gary Hollis and Finley Taylor, also sailing Lasers, tried to shake off Chris Maloney in his Comet.  From Preston Park it was another close fetch into the Kingscliff mark and then back to the line.  At this point, on handicap, it was Potts in first place and then Kedge and Stanton.  The second lap saw the wind veer still further, and fall away slightly, which meant a beat into the finish line, the top three places remaining unchanged.

Autumn Series - 1:
1.    RS Aero – Ken Potts
2.    Laser – Adam Kedge
3.    Laser – Paul Stanton