The third event in the 2005 Gill series attracted 21 boats and Derwent welcomed them with a sunny weekend and a shifty breeze. The family team of Gavin and Jasmine Willis won race 1 showing excellent bursts of speed in F*in Boat, they were closely followed by Stevie Sallis and Jenny James who just beat Mark and Emma Simpson by a nose.

Ian and Alex Gore took an early lead in race 2 with Mike Cooke and Emma Wilkins also showing excellent speed hot on their heels. But as the evening drew in some large holes appeared in the wind and Graham Camm and Zoe Ballantyne managed to sneak past to take first.

The Sunday started with no breeze but later filled in to a perfect Force 3. Sallis and James took the lead gaining a huge port lift to the windward mark, but the Gores worked hard throughout the race and got past to win the race.

Race 4 saw equally close racing throughout the fleet with a zigzag downwind course adding to the fun and keeping the fleet close. In race 5 family team Terry and Angela Cooke took an early lead in their recently launched Big Issue II. With the shifty breeze the whole fleet had to fight for their positions and the race was finally won by Graham Camm and Zoe Ballantyne closely followed by Stevie Sallis and Jenny James. Gill sponsored the prizes and awarded special prizes to the three crews who were doing their first Gill events.

Overall results

1st Babel Fish 3492 Graham Camm and Zoe Ballantyne Burghfield SC

2nd Tabitha 3441 Ian and Alex Gore Up River YC

3rd Dilbert 3436 Steve Sallis and Lindsey Ogden/Jenny James Hykeham SC

Admiral’s cup

1st Sixth Element 3373 Kevin Iles and Tim Goodhew/Jack Gebhard Thorpe Bay YC

2nd Rebel 3209 John and and Alison Cheetham Yeadon SC

3rd Wendy Windblows 3217 Philip David and Helen David/Graham Sears/Crayston Renner Yorkshire Ouse SC