The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Gail Follington won two of the three races at Welland Yacht Club on Sunday to get her hands on the Flag Officers Cup.
With strong winds forecast throughout the day, a healthy haul of eight boats took to the line for the first of three races in the cup competition.
Making the most of the start was Andy Agar (OK), closely followed by Andy Prior (Laser), Gerri van Haren (Phantom), Gail and Arden Follington (both in Toppers), Neal Tack and crew Rebecca Slator (Graduate), Mark Holland and Alistair Mitchell (both Laser Radials).
It was Prior who soon moved ahead, but a lapse of concentration saw him turn early around buoy three instead of four, before disaster struck as his out haul snapped, forcing a retirement.
Capitalising was Agar, who was first across the line followed by Holland, Mitchell, Tack-Slator, Gail Follington, van Haren, and Arden Follington.
However, once handicaps were applied it was a Follington one-two with Gail taking the win and Holland completing the top three.
Again, eight boats took to the start for the second race – and there was a change of course to reduce the overall distance.
This time Prior led from the off and the speedy boat of van Haren soon found its way up to second position.
But this wasn’t to be Prior’s day as he once again forgot the course and, on the down wind leg he rounded the next buoy down instead of heading to the clubhouse buoy. By the time anyone passing could let him know the error he would have lost so much ground on the rest of the fleet that he decided to retire.
That left van Haren to be first across the line, followed by Tack-Slator, Holland, Gail Follington, Arden Follington, Mitchell and then Agar.
Once again, handicaps would turn the results around and Gail Follington took the win from Tack-Slator, with van Haren settling for third.
Following a break for lunch the final race of the cup got underway with seven boats taking part and Prior taking the early lead from Tack-Slator and Holland.
This time Prior had no issues with the course and he duly pulled out a healthy lead.
Behind him, Holland opted to retire after a few trips into the water.
Positions on the water remained unchanged for the most part, but handicaps would again be a decisive factor. First across the line was Prior, followed by Agar, Tack-Slator, Gail Follington, Mitchell and Arden Follington.
Prior would keep the win after handicaps, with Gail Follington taking second and Tack-Slator in third.
Overall, that meant Gail Follington was the champion ahead of Tack-Slater and Arden Follington in second and third places respectively.
- Anyone wanting to find out more about sailing should contact the club via email secretary@wellandyachtclub.co.uk or you can go and visit them at SHDC’s ‘give it a go’ event at the Sir
Hayley Stewart Playing Field on Sunday, August 21 (11am-4pm).
