The final race of the Solent Dinghy Circuit at Lymington Town Sailing Club began with knife-edge situations in both fleets on Sunday (15 December).

In the Fast Handicap Toby Collyer’s International 14 led by only two points from Richard Russell’s 470. In the Medium Handicap Tim Knight’s Tasar was on equal points with Parkstone’s Colin May in his Wayfarer.

In a 20 knot breeze the fast fleet got away on a skew beat across the main channel to Black and White buoy on the other side of the river fairway. This proved to the liking of Collyer who was first to the windward mark and soon built up a good lead. Russell also came out well and was not going to make it easy for Collyer. On the third round the wind began to fade, which should have favoured Collyer, but he had a bad run being caught by the last gust of the wind and then a worse beat being beaten to the line by Keith Willis in his RS700 by just four seconds.

Russell, as usual, found just the right line and finished in style, beating both Collyer and Willis by less than a minute on handicap. This turned Collyer’s almost certain win into a defeat by half a point for the series.

In the medium handicap Colin May was more fortunate, as the Knights’ were unable to compete due to a prior engagement, giving a win to May and a two point victory overall. His fellow visitor from Parkstone, Bruce Gridley managed a second place to take third in the series.

Results

Race 9

Fast Handicap

1, Wave Rider IV (470 721) R.Russell and S.Williams

2, Summer’s Here (RS700 767) Keith Willis

3,Victoria (Int14 1370) T.Collyer and S.Rosier

4, RS 600 954 Jon Heissig

5, RS 600 709, Andy Heissig

6, Yacht People (29er 030) G and G Havers

Overall Results

1, Wave Rider

2, Victoria

3,Yacht People

4, RS600 954

Medium Handicap

Race 9

1,Watery Moment (W 9068) C and T May

2, Devon Pickle (W 6288) Bruce Gridley

3, Wombles (W 2792) T.Smee and A.Gormley

Overall Results

1,Watery Moment

2, Snowy the Rabbit (Tasar 363) T and M Knight

3,Devon Pickle

4, Wombles