After the perfect sailing conditions enjoyed by the Skiff sailors on Saturday, a mixed bag of weather conditions was served up in Portland Harbour for the final three races of the 2003 Grand Prix 18ft Skiff series series yesterday. With commendable accuracy, the met forecast predicted a complex series of lows, which was exactly what the sailors got.

A rain squall came through during the first race, followed by rumblings of thunder in the second, and then half an hour of total calm before the third could take place. Despite all this, the three leading contenders for the 2003 Grand Prix series, Hermes, Base 1 and Radii were able to fight for the title in oscillating breezes between 3-12 knots.

Andy Richards, Andrew Fairley and Dave Richards on Radii succeeded in winning Round 4, and Neale Fitzgerald (deputising for Rob Dulson), Paul Constable and Alec McKinlay did their best on Base 1, but it was the Hermes team of Ed Browne, Mark Tait and Lachlan Torrance who retained the lead they had held since Round 2 to take the overall victory. Nineteen Skiffs had competed in the series, which started and finished in Portland Harbour, with the other two rounds being held in Largs and the Solent.

The Grand Prix series provides the basis of the home season, in addition to the nationals, and a longer series will be arranged for 2004. There will also be a week of racing at Lake Garda, another week in Sardinia, and a three day event in Denmark, plus the JJ Giltinan worlds event in Sydney Harbour as usual at the beginning of January.

Results (Round 4 results, after six races with one discard

1. Radii Andy Richards, Andrew Fairley and Dave Richards

2. Hermes Ed Browne, Mark Tait and Lachlan Torrance

3. Magic Marine Alex Tobutt, Stuart Appleby and Henry Clark

4. Base 1 Neale Fitzgerald, Paul Constable and Alec McKinlay

5. Computacenter Jon Bennett, Andy Jeffries and Nick Jerkins

6. Link Associates Tim Penfold, Matt Alvarado and Will Penfold

Overall (after four rounds with one discard)

1. Hermes Ed Browne, Mark Tait and Lachlan Torrance 4 points

2. Radii Andy Richards, Andrew Fairley and Dave Richards 7 points

3. Base 1 Rob Dulson/Neale Fitzgerald, Paul Constable and Alec McKinlay 7 points

4. Link Associates Tim Penfold, Matt Alvarado and Will Penfold 15 points

5. Computacenter Jon Bennett, Andy Jeffries and Nick Jerkins 16 points

6. Renewable Energy Charles Tavner, Ed Clay and Jonathan Finn 22 points

7. Onica Alister Kinsman, Alasdair Hendry and Martin Davis 22 points

8. Magic Marine Alex Tobutt, Stuart Appleby and Henry Clark 22 points

9. Tyrrell’s Wines Martin Wilkie, Andy Rae and Iain McCafferty 25 points

10. Team Ron 35 points