Two races were held on the fourth day of the National Twelve class championship at the Royal Torbay YC. The first race was sailed in a moderate westerly shifty breeze, just enough to keep the 52-strong fleet on its toes.

The first race of the day was won by the super-fast Tom Stewart and Liz Ross, while the second race was won by championship leaders Stuart Hudson and Jane. However, with the ever-threatening Robin and Ben Wood snapping at their heels in the shifty second race, it wasn’t all plain sailing. ‘We had to really work for it,’ explained Hudson, ‘We couldn’t afford to take the pressure off for a moment otherwise we’d have lost it.’

So close is the racing at the front of the fleet that there is now only one and a quarter points separating the top two boats.

One race is scheduled for Thursday August 17 with two races on the final day on Friday August 18.

Results (after 6 races):

1 3453, E-Mail, Stuart Hudson and Jane Stamp, Spinnaker (9.25)

2 3448 Steady Tiger, Tom Stewart and Liz Ross, Royal Harwich YC (10.50)

3 3455 Bart, Robin and Ben Wood, British Steel SC (13.75)

4 3445 Purple Turtle, Jon and Charlotte Ibbotsson, Royal HarwichYC (22.00)

5 3423 Texas Flood, Bruce and Clare Johnson, Royal HarwichYC (22.00)

6 341 New Isabelle, Will and Mandy Henderson, Salcombe YC (29.00)

7 3436 Dilbert, Steve Sallis and Jenny James, Hykeham SC (33.00)

8 3426 Purple Pants, Jon Brown and Jane Jones, Royal Harwich YC (37.00)

9 3441 Matilda, Ian Gore and Lesley Iles, Grafham Water SC (37.00)

10 3437 Worth Its Weight, Chris Mayhew and Helen Hilditch,Royal Harwich YC (51.00)