21 Supernovas fought the elements at the Open Meeting at Cotswold Sailing Club on 10th May. Furious winds, rolling thunder, extraordinary lightning and lashing rain challenged even the most intrepid. Bent burgees and masthead mud said it all.

Don't believe a word of it! Actually the fleet took to the water on a hot, almost windless, day. Gibson, eventually first to the windward mark, was never caught. Pakes challenged for a while but retired, allowing S.Hawley, Le Mare and Tucker through to finish in that order after two very slow laps. The rest of the fleet made the best of the fluky, turgid and quite testing conditions in a demonstration of patience and remarkable good humour.

After a pleasant lunch interlude, the second race proved even more challenging with the wind eventually dying to nothing. Gibson, Tucker, Le Mare and Giles drew clear in a fine display of light airs' boatmanship and that was the final order. Behind them a phalanx of boats inched its way to the windward mark for the second lap. It was anyone's guess who the next faint flutter of light air would favour. That was how it was - a stark contrast to the previous three years' excellent winds.

Overall result and prizes:
1st Mike Gibson (Bartley Sailing Club)
2nd Jeff Tucker (Haversham Sailing Club)
3rd Tim Le Mare (Henley sailing Club)
4th Steve Hawley (Severn Sailing Club)
5th Barry Winter (Haversham Sailing Club)


Full Results coming soon!

Photos by Russell Workman