Early Bird Race

Six boats ventured out for the first race of the season for the Early Bird Trophy. They were greeted by a fresh force 5 westerly wind, so the majority of the boats rapidly had to revise their reefing procedures and dig out their small sails. However, they were all keen to go, apart from Masquerade who was having her first day out under her new owner. Icon and Antix were over keen and jumped the start. Both answered their recall and got down to making amends. Double D was also making her debut bay race and made the perfect start, but No Compromise rapidly overtook her. These two led round the first buoy, but with both Icon and Antix making amends and Cold Steel keeping up the pace, it was a tight group heading for the second mark.

No Compromise maintained her lead at the second mark before heading for Sandsend, but Antix was close on her tail. Several of the boats either found it hard going or had gear failure (subsequently it was found out that Icon had crew failure after one of her crew took a nose dive across the cockpit) and decided to have an early finish, so Icon, Lady Hamilton and Masquerade all retired.

Antix had picked the right sails and roared past No Compromise on the beat to Sandsend, with Cold Steel making good ground as well. It was a long, hard slog in to Sandsend and crews were pleased to ease sheets and commence the long run back to the bell buoy, before starting yet another beat to complete the first and only lap. The order was maintained to the finish with Antix leading in, No Compromise, Cold Steel and Double D, but Cold Steel would be advanced one position after application of the handicap. Result: 1^st Antix (John Allen), 2^nd Cold Steel (Nigel Jarvis), 3^rd No Compromise (Derek Frank).