B-Course race, 19th May, start:11:10
Heather Adams stepped up to be an emergency OOD, with Tim Young and David (new member) in the safety boat.
Five boats mustered for the start: three Enterprises (Big Polly: Rob and Hugo Adams; Porpoise: Lev Kolobov, solo; and Entre Nous: Dave and Sheila Berger), a Leader (Distant Thunder: Chris Greenwood and Felicia Biekark), a Wayfarer (SY2: Sam Shemtob and crew) and Keith Clarke’s Laser: Kaia.
It was an easterly wind which gave a run to the downstream turning mark off Chiswick Staithe with beat back to a buoy off the Bulls Head. There were a lot of rowers out on the water making ready for the summer regattas and ULBC was busy with the Hospital Bumps.
At the start several boats were bang on the line but the fleet split immediately. Rob shot off along the Surrey side with Lev in hot pursuit while the rest opted for the more conventional Middlesex side. Surrey was better initially but the Middlesex side, or middle of the river, improved towards the downstream mark. Lev overtook Rob and rounded first with Chris, Dave and Kieth close behind. Sam persisted on the Middlesex side and dropped behind.
The upstream buoy was in a fiendish position with a wind shift and fickle wind. Rob closed on Lev and briefly took the lead with Chris, Dave and Keith closing up again.
The OOD finished the race at the end of the second lap on the hour due to urgent matter of cooking the family Sunday roast. The order of boats at the finish was Lev, Rob by a canvass over Dave and Chris another boat length behind, Keith then Sam.
A delightful race on a lovely sunny day.
Heather Adams, OOD (+Rob +Henry)
