This year’s Holt Tide Ride event at Hayling Island Sailing Club had a slight format change with the first six races to count and taken through into the final – double points race. And all starts were to be black flag with the final round the ends.

Race 1 got underway with Performance Rigging (Don Forster/Kate Forster) leading at the windward mark followed by Gutted Hedgehog (Matt Searle/Andy Ramus) and Readycrest (Mark Barnes/Tom Pygall). Performance Rigging lost out as once gybed, they could not lay the gate and Readycrest hit the tide gybing on a big gust. Gutted Hedgehog went on to win from AT&T (Tim Fells/Shaun Barber) followed by 757 (Dan Willets/Stu Phillips). The next three races were won by Gutted Hedgehog followed by CSC (Chris Bines/Dave Gibbons) with others in third. Overnight Gutted Hedgehog led from CSC, Readycrest, 757 and AT&T.

Sunday dawned to no wind, lots of tide. However, as the fleet rigged for racing on course ‘A’ the breeze built to 6 – 8 knots east-south-easterly.

Race five got under way and Gutted Hedgehog, CSC and Readycrest engaged in battle as 757 was OCS. This was the order at the windward mark. On the run through the two gates there was nothing in it. On the gyde to the turn mark Readycrest took the lead followed by CSC and Gutted Hedgehog. This order maintained for the next round but at the last windward mark, Readycrest hooked the mark and let CSC into the lead but recovered to second followed by Gutted Hedgehog.

Race six, Readycrest led this one from lap one followed by 757 and CSC.

The final, scores on the doors were Gutted Hedgehog – 1, CSC – 2, Readycrest – 3, AT&T – 4, 757 – 5, 764 – 6. At the start, 764 (Nils Jolliffe/Joel McDonald) charged in on a high risk maneouvre to win the start. At the windward mark 764 led but hit the mark and had to turn at the bottom mark. They were followed by Readycrest with a gap to CSC, AT&T, Pocket Elephant (Mark Watts/Pete Nicholson) and Gutted Hedgehog. At the leeward mark Readycrest led from 764 and CSC. These three maintained position for the next round with Readycrest holding a 30 m. lead. However, on the last beat an International 14 and 49er coming downwind were to do for Readycrest and so at the last turn 764 led from CSC and Readycrest.

At the first gate, all three were close and on the gybe and Readycrest rolled CSC. At the next gate 764 held on to the lead and Readycrest forced CSC back to the right and less tide. Coming into the finish all three were overlapped but 764 held on to a well deserved win with Readycrest just scraping ahead of CSC to come second and win the event by a point with 764 and CSC on equal points but CSC winning on count back.

Overall Results
1. Readycrest – Mark Barnes/Tom Pygall – Whitstable YC – 7,5,3,4,2,1 = 3,2(4) = 7
2. CSC – Chris Bines/Dave Gibbons – Brightlingsea SC – 5,2,2,2,1,3,= 2,3(6) = 8
3. 764 – Nils Jolliffe/Joel McDonald – Weston SC – 4,7,6,6,8,9 = 6,1(2) = 8
4. Gutted Hedgehog – Matt Searle/Andy Ramus – HISC – 1,1,1,1,3,5 = 1,4(8) = 9
5. AT&T – Tim Fells/Shaun Barber – Salcombe YC – 2,11,4,3,6,4 = 4,5(10) = 14