Race Report, 26 August 2018
This Sunday’s race followed the excitement of the Ladies Plate and the relaxing pleasures of the summer party, and perhaps that combination was enough to exhaust the usual turnout. Or perhaps it was a weather forecast of F3 southerlies, gusting 4-5 with continuous heavy rain and low temperatures. Whatever the cause, four hardy souls were willing to test their skills: Dave and Sheila Berger, who appropriated the Brown’s Enterprise (they being down for race officer and safety boat duties), James Armitage and Lev Kolobov, who decided to pool their resources in Jame’s Enterprise.
Before the launch the wind was steadily propelling the rain almost straight up the river and flapping rather than flogging the hoisted sails. Not too scary. And so it continued: a quick run up to the start, some frisky reaches before the whistle, then a beat down to the downstream mark by the City Barge, both boats keeping in the relatively slack water by the bank. They rounded neck and neck to run back up to the line with James a mere 2 seconds ahead of Dave. It was a 10 minute lap, as was the second with James’ lead increasing to 25 seconds. And still the rain came down. From then on James gradually got ahead so that by the time Mary took pity on them and hoisted the yellow flag it was clear that the pattern had been set. James and Lev finished about 4 minutes in the lead.
Margaret Berger came down on her bike to join Mary and see fair play while Henry got wetter and wetter with no one to rescue in the safety boat. But there was Mary’s flapjack in the arch to supplement the hot tea.
