The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Alan Cox claimed overall glory in Welland Yacht Club’s Personal Handicap Pursuit Series – but three others members claimed glory in the final rounds on Sunday.
High winds and stormy skies set the scene for the last two races, with five competitors each allocated their individual start times for round five.
Series leader at the start of play Cox (Topper) was first to set off, followed by the pairing of Neal Tack and Rebecca Slator (Graduate) then Brian Cobb (Europe), Tom Bell (Laser Radial) and finally Alistair Mitchell (Laser).
The fleet made quick progress around the course, with Bell picking his way through the boats ahead.
Once in second place, he then set his sights on Cox in the lead boat, finally taking the lead just ahead of time being up.
The remaining fleet kept its starting order, meaning the top three was Bell in first, Cox second and Tack/Slator in third.
With six boats now taking part in the series finale and the sky getting ever darker, first to set off were Freya and Samuel Willerton (each in a Topper), followed by Cox (Topper), then Tack and Slator (Graduate) and finally Mitchell (Laser). Just before his start time Bell decided to pull out of the race, though.
Samuel Willerton soon became stranded on the far bank and was recovered by the rescue boat, then Cox and Mitchell retired when the rainstorm came in.
That left Tack and Slator to take the win, finishing ahead of Freya Willerton in second.
Cox had already done enough to secure overall series success, with Tack and Slator coming in second and Bell in third.
Freya Willerton finished as the highest-placed junior.
- Anyone wanting to find out more about sailing should contact the club via email at secretary@wellandyachtclub.co.uk and request more information.
