By Jane Anderson

UPPER TAMAR LAKE SAILING CLUB LATEST REPORTS 

Sunday, June 30

AM TAMAR CUP SIX

IN SURPRISINGLY cold and gusty winds (considering the local weather forecast), five boats set of for the morning race heading northwards for Home 2 buoy.

Dave Perrett (Solo) was first over the line at the start gun followed by Roger Heasman and Liam Routley  (Bosun).

However, it was Nathan Pollard (Laser) who was first to the buoy, then Dave (Solo), Jane Anderson (Topper), Brian Pollard and Natasha Routley (Bosun), and Roger with Liam then brought up the rear.

Brian and Natasha managed to overtake Jane just before the final buoy of the lap at Dam, but it was Nathan who shot ahead on the second lap in some challenging gusts.

Jane then managed to overtake Brian and Natasha again by H2 buoy and fended him off for the rest of the race.

Dave was chasing Nathan and also pulling away from the fleet ahead of Jane and that was how the positions stayed until the end of what was a gusty and sometimes uncomfortable morning!

After the Portsmouth Handicaps were applied to the different classes of boats (depending on size, speed through the water, etc), the winner was Jane Anderson, just ahead of Nathan Pollard and followed by Brian Pollard with crew Natasha Routley (Bosun), David Perrett (Solo) and Roger Heasman with crew Liam Routley (Bosun).

PM SAILBOAT FIVE

WE WERE all hoping that the moderating winds over the lunch period would remain for the afternoon race, but no such luck!

Nathan, Dave, Brian and Natasha, Jane, and new junior member Liam (now helming the Heasman Bosun) all started in that order with Brian and Natasha (Bosun) and John Dabbs and Linda Spiller (Bosun) bringing up the rear.

In the somewhat feisty conditions, John with crew Linda Spiller touched a mark and had to do a penalty turn.

As the race progressed, overcrowding by three boats whilst rounding Dam Mark produced a momentary windless patch which Jane promptly fell into.

This then put John Dabbs and Linda into an awkward rounding position, but all eventually sorted themselves out with Liam and Roger coming out on top!

The race then progressed in an orderly fashion until the finish with Jane again edging out Nathan.

Results: 1 Jane Anderson (Topper); 2 Nathan Pollard (Laser Full); 3 David Perrett (Solo); 4 Brian Pollard and Tasha (Bosun); 5 John Dabbs and Linda Spiller (Bosun).

Sadly, Liam (with Roger as crew) had to retire when he missed a mark of the course, which was a shame, but he managed the Bosun very comfortably.

Thanks were expressed to Bob Sampson for being the race officer and Mandy Pollard for the photographs.

Sunday, July 7

A DAMP start to the day for racing at Upper Tamar Lake, with a light WNW breeze but drying later.

The first race, the Pursuit Four, saw the following start time handicaps in minutes. 

Vicki Duncalf (Topper) 0, Brian Pollard and Natasha Routley crew (Bosun) +6, Liam Routley (Laser) +14 & Nathan Pollard (Laser) +19.

Vicki managed the best start and this stood her in good stead for the rest of the race lapping both Nathan and Liam before they had even started. 

Nathan overtook Liam halfway through their first lap before Liam got into a spot of bother by Dam Green Buoy but quickly recovered to continue. 

By mid-race Nathan managed to unlap himself by passing Vicki but never managed to catch her up again and she finished first ahead of Nathan with both Brian and Natasha and Liam retiring.

Results: 1 Vicki Duncalf; 2 Nathan Pollard, Retired: Brian Pollard and Natasha Routley; Liam Routley.

At the start of the Barnwell Six race the order was Jane Anderson (Topper), Vicki Duncalf (Topper), Brian Pollard and crew Natasha Routley (Bosun), Nathan Pollard (Laser), John Dabbs and Linda Spiller crew (Bosun) and Robin Spiller (Solo). 

It was Nathan though who who quickly worked his way up to first by the Home 2 mark with Jane a close second. 

By Pinky, Nathan had extended his dominance and John Dabbs and Linda had picked off Vicki Duncalf. 

There then developed an exciting battle for second, third and fourth, as Jane tried her hardest to fend off the Bosuns with them equally keen to overtake. 

For the first two laps, Jane and Brian and Natasha swapped places on a few occasions with John Dabbs and Linda Spiller close on hand in case of any mistakes by the two in front. 

Finally though, the Bosuns won through early on lap three and with John Dabbs and Linda Spiller overtaking Brian and Natasha approaching Inlet, the tone was then set for the final positions across the line with the gaps between boats slowly increasing. 

Nathan, John and Linda, Brian and Natasha, Jane, then Vicki with Robin retiring with gear failure.

The results after handicap adjustment were as follows: 1 Jane Anderson; 2 Nathan Pollard; 3 John Dabbs and Linda Spiller; 4 Brian Pollard and Natasha Routley; 5 Vicki Duncalf. Retired: Robin Spiller.

Thanks were expressed to race officers Paul Anderson and Ricky Thurlow, and Mandy Pollard for the photographs.