Only five Phantoms took to the water for races 1 and 2 of the Thorpe Bay Yacht Club open meeting on 4-5 June with several of the more senior players being put off by the high winds.

Race one and Henry Ayres made a good start to hold the advantage over Allen Burrell, Gavin Young and Paul Beasley. Burrell soon took the lead by the windward mark followed by Ayres, Young and Beasley. The order stayed at that until Beasley used superior downwind speed to inch in front of Young.

Race 2 started in a slackening breeze and the first mark order was Burrell, Beasley, Young, Ayres. At the end of the second round the order was the same when a very strong squall came through. Beasley retired after his capsized boat was blown completely over the rescue boat and Young snapped his mast after a massive wipe out to leave Burrell in first and Ayres in second.

Day two was less windy and a few more sailors came out. Race 3 windward mark order was once again Burrell first but Neil Fulcher who had turned up in second and Ayres in third. And that’s how it finished.

Race 4 saw even less wind and Fulcher pressed Burrell for long parts of the race leading at the leeward mark. Ayres struggled in the lighter conditions and slipped out of the top three. Finishing order was Burrell, Fulcher, Beasley.

Race 5 and the wind really dropped off. Some of the light wind specialist really got away, but the wind soon built again to hiking level leaving Burrell and Fulcher clear, with a three-way battle for third between Beasley, John Torrance and Ayres. Ayres blew it at the end of round two hitting the windward mark and taking a penalty, and Torrance kept the pressure on to finish ahead of Beasley. Burrell, Fulcher, Torrance being the finishing order

Overall Results

1 Allen Burrell 4

2 Henry Ayres 12

3 Paul Beasley 13

4 John Torrance 23