GP14 duo spring Founders Plate surprise

THE annual Founders Plate series was sailed in the lightest and most fickle winds.

The format was for two handicap races, with the worse result discarded, followed by a counting pursuit race. After two races, it looked as if a visitor, Ian Lees, in a Rooster 8.1, was master of the Lake.

However, he fell back to 8th place in the Pursuit. In the end, the surprise result was a win for Mike Butler and Steve Caladine in a GP14, who had won the second race and finished third in the Pursuit. Martin Brennan (Solo), with a third in the first race and second in the Pursuit was runnerup. The faster boats suffered in the Pursuit as the slower early starters enjoyed better wind. The Pursuit was led from the start to the finish by David Hughes sailing his Mirror.

Prizes were also awarded to the Club’s junior sailors in Toppers. Daisy Fisher led ahead of Hector Droungas and Jasper Bramwell who all managed the challenging winds well.

There was a large turnout of boats racing at the Lake the previous Sunday for the last races for the Spring Series.

Overall, it has been a great series for Richard Marsh and daughter Lauren, who won the series and led the first race and took a second place on the day. Their chief contender on Sunday, Steve Crook and Sally Townend, with a second and a first, showed the close competition between the RS200 of the Marshes and Steve’s Merlin Rocket. The third race was dominated by the Toppers with Adam Din winning ahead of Commodore Andy Carter.

The Series is not won by a few first places and Bruce Mager and Craig Jowett (Merlin Rocket) were second overall on account of regular racing.