Luckily the breeze soon filled in and as the tide turned, the fleet picked up pace to get around the epic course. RED JACKET managed to avoid coming into contact with the riverbed and led the fleet all the way around, finishing first followed by MANDARIN then PHALAROPE (who were the other boat to avoid a grounding).
On Sunday the fleet headed to Canewdon with a fairly constant breeze as MANDARIN led from the start line and managed to stay ahead despite the boats in second third and fourth jostling for position. MANDARIN finished first, followed by RED JACKET then PHALAROPE.

By Monday there were no Squibs on the river so the fleet headed to Holliwell in fairly breezy conditions. Along this first fetch the enthusiastic but new team aboard WHIMBREL took an early lead, but the positions were all changing and by the time Holliwell approached AQUAMARINE had taken the lead. AQUAMARINE went on to lead the rest of the way around with MANDARIN and RED JACKET trying to get a podium position ahead of the other to win the Regatta. RED JACKET succeeded with AQUAMARINE finishing first, RED JACKET second then WHIMBREL third. Congratulations to RED JACKET for winning the weekend with the Georgina Tolhurst Memorial Trophy and to my crew aboard AQUAMARINE for winning the President’s Cup. It was lovely to welcome Chris Corrigan back to the fleet on PHALAROPE, having taken a break early last season. It has also been great to see how well team WHIMBREL are coming together and getting such good results with enthusiastic but inexperienced sailors aboard on a steep learning curve tutored by James Dallimore.

Angela Shephard
RBOD Class Captain
(Photos Jon Sturmer/Cathy Herring)