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Firefly, National 12 and Lark Open weekend
Royal Harwich YC once again pulled out all the stops for the annual Firefly, National 12 and Lark Open weekend, with great racing, unique courses, free camping on the club lawn and the inter class games night, with sumo wrestling, giant connect four, and bar boat races!
On the sailing front, 17 fireflies enjoyed 2 races on the Saturday, sailed in cold moderate to fresh easterlies, followed by 3 on the Sunday in the torrential rain and light south easterlies (before the sun appeared for the prize giving). Race officer Graham Ireland kept the crews entertained at the briefing with his "alternative" courses that seemed to challenge some, but not Steven Greaves and Amy Morris who romped away with the first race (despite being over the line and doing turns) from Stuart and Jane Hudson. In the second race it was the Hudsons who showed the fleet the rest of the way, followed by Barney Smith and Alannah. Matt Johnson paid the unfortunate price for keeness whilst cutting immediately behind a commercial vessel which passed through the middle of the fleet, when he was literally thrown out of the boat by the violence of the wash!
On the Sunday, Greaves and Morris seemed to be showing the fleet the way again, but were pipped to the finish by locals Alex Davey and Isabelle Swan (sailing in her first ever open). Race 4 also saw Davey and Swan lead, with a photo finish giving the Hudsons second, Rosie Davey and Giles Bradford third and Greaves and Morris fourth. For the final deciding race, the Husdons and Davey and Swan came out the blocks fast, but Davey and Swan were able to make it their third win of the day, from the Hudsons in second and Davey and Bradford in third.
Many thanks to all at RHYC, particularly event organiser Amy Bowden, for another successful weekend.
All competitors once again received a raffle ticket for the F4000 draw at the end of the year. The next open is Hamble River next weekend, which will be a chance for crucial pre-nationals practice before August.
Overall results and points