AN ABSENCE of wind threatened the proceedings for Sully Sailing Clubs’ annual sailing regatta.

As visitors arrived, the clubs weather station was barely registered a reading, trees were motionless and smoke ascended vertically from chimneys.

Despite this, boats were rigged as race organisers looked hopeful down the Bristol Channel for signs of a possible morning sea breeze.

Three back to back races were scheduled to start at 11am and a delay of half an hour saw wind pick up sufficiently for racing to begin.

The first race was one for light wind tacticians. The race proceeded at a gentle pace with most of the fast fleet managing to complete two laps and the slow fleet completing one lap of the course. The first race was won by visitors Oscar and Lisa Chess in their Osprey dinghy.

As the wind increased a challenging figure of eight course was set for the second and third races. The boats were now able to pick up pace with the leading boats completing three laps of the new longer course.

The visiting Osprey’s continued to dominate with the second race being won again by Oscar and Lisa Chess.

However, they were unable to make it three in a row as they were pipped to first place by Ros and David Downes in their Osprey in the final race.

As the boats came ashore, competitors were treated to Sully Sailing Clubs famous BBQ food prepared by club the Commodore.

The visitors took the glory with Oscar and Lisa Chess winning the regatta overall, with Ros and David Downes finishing second and Mike and Pam Murray finishing in third place.

Jake Richardson won the slow fleet in a Laser Radial but being only 16, his father gladly accepted the prize of a bottle of wine on his behalf.

Danny Powell won the club regatta shield for the highest finishing club member for his respectable fifth place finish in his full rigged Laser Standard.

Sully Sailing Club Regatta 2015 overall

Sailed: 3, Discards: 1, To count: 2, Rating system: PY, Entries: 14, Scoring system: SSC

Rank Fleet Class PY HelmName SailNo CrewName R106/09/2015 R206/09/2015 R306/09/2015 Nett

1st Fast OSPREY 942 Oscar Chess 1348 Lisa Chess 1.0 1.0 (2.0) 2.0

2nd Fast OSPREY 942 Ros Downes 1114 David Downes (3.0) 3.0 1.0 4.0

3rd Fast OSPREY 942 Mike Murray 1166 Pam Murray (4.0) 2.0 3.0 5.0

4th Fast Laser Vareo 1071 Andy Howard 565 2.0 (5.0) 4.0 6.0

5th Fast LASER 1091 Danny Powell 180232 (15.0 DNC) 4.0 5.0 9.0

6th Fast OSPREY 942 Roger Dykes 1312 Bob Lang 5.0 7.0 (15.0 DNC) 12.0

7th Slow LASER RADIAL 1135 Jake Richardson (7.0) 6.0 7.0 13.0

8th Fast LASER 1091 Alan Carter 140090 (8.0) 8.0 6.0 14.0

9th Fast Topaz CX14 857 Andrew Evans 6949 6.0 (13.0) 9.0 15.0

10th Slow TOPAZ UNO 1236 Teilo Richardson 1845 (9.0) 9.0 8.0 17.0

11th Slow LASER RADIAL 1135 Joseph Hobbs (13.0) 10.0 10.0 20.0

12th Fast Catapault 890 Jerry Money 2079 10.0 11.0 (15.0 DNC) 21.0

13th Fast Catapault 890 Lawrie Tulip 519 11.0 (14.0) 11.0 22.0

14th Fast LASER 1091 John Parr 59713 12.0 12.0 (15.0 DNC) 24.0