Week 3 Northern Brass Monkey Series 2009

After last week's racing was blown off due to strong winds, a gale strewn Saturday night accompanied by a forecast of winds up to 29 mph kept many would-be sailors away from the 3^rd weekend of West Ring SC's Northern Brass Monkey. Those with the bottle to turn up were rewarded with some brilliant sailing conditions in bright sunshine with the overall wind strength short of that forecast, but with some big gusts coming through for added excitement.

With a high casualty rate expected, WRSC put out a strong team of race officer and rescue. This included some of the hottest of the home club's talent, so some familiar faces were seen gritting their teeth in rescue boats, feeling decidedly cooler than the adrenalin charged competitors.

Tim Vick and Tom Brownell's Lark from Ulley SC came off the start line in the first race in determined style. They had built up a good lead by the first mark chased by Owyn Wallace's Laser and John Gledhill's Solo, and looked good on handicap until a squall overpowered them on a three-sail reach. Wallace took up the running before Mark Weston's Phantom, late at the start fixing a broken outhaul, came through the fleet to lead on the water. Weston pulled out at the end of the third lap, and Wallace lead across the finish line to win on handicap from Vick and Brownell. Gledhill looked set for a top three finish on handicap, but conjured up a capsize boat lengths short of the line, and with his mast stuck in the mud was unable to drift across to finish. Guy Cokill was therefore rewarded for his persistence to take third spot in his Vareo.

The second race was held back-to-back and a diminished fleet set off up the long first beat into the teeth of grinning white horses as the wind strength rose. The two Tims in their Lark touched the pin mark and allowed Wallace and Gledhill to take an early lead. The increased wind seemed to suit the Lark duo and they soon stormed into the lead ahead of Wallace, with Gledhill hanging on. With the rest of the fleet decimated, the race officer decided to shorten course after only half an hour. The Lark crossed the finish ahead of the Laser, but a huge gust took Gledhill the length of the final downwind leg to cut back the vital seconds and give the Solo a win from Vick and Brownell's Lark and Wallace's Laser.

Five weekends remain before the Northern Brass Monkey comes to a conclusion on 22^nd February. With only four races in the can so far, there's still everything to play for.