Wind tests skills and boat handling
The changing wind conditions demanded tactical sailing and was a test of boat handling during Sunday's racing at the George Lakes Yacht Club.
The junior fleet was sailing the first set of races for the De Klerk Trophy and the senior fleet likewise for the Woodwise Trophy.
Throughout race one Kyle Koeries and JP Buys kept the pressure on the Optimists of Thomas Lawa and Conrad Holm. Lawa succeeded in crossing the finishing line a scant three seconds ahead of Holm, with Koeries a minute behind.
In the lighter conditions of the second race Holm managed to open up a small lead over the rest with Lawa and Koeries close behind.
In the senior fleet the Dart 18 of Hans Delport made good use of the better wind strength and got well ahead of most of the fleet. His closest competitor was the Laser of Georgou Divaris, who had the best start to establish an early lead and extending it to over two minutes ahead of the similar boat of Malcolm Osborne. Maurits Lammers was the second Laser for the first half of the race before being overtaken and he finished just ahead of Evelyn Osborne.
In the lighter conditions of the second race the Delport Dart wasn't able to keep ahead of the Divaris Laser, but these two again had a comfortable lead ahead of the fleet. Malcolm Osborne secured second place again. Lammers was in third place for most of the race but was passed by Evelyn Osborne near the finish.
For the De Klerk Trophy, Holm and Lawa are tied on points for the lead, going into the finals scheduled for February. While Georgou Divaris was the clear winner on boat handicap of both races in the senior fleet, the Woodwise series is scored on skipper ratings.
On this basis, Matthew de Villiers was the winner of the first race and Malcolm Osborne won race two.
For more information about George Lakes Yacht Club, see its website, www.glyc.org.za or like its Facebook page, GLYC.