The Easter Cup was raced in glorious sunshine in a force three from the South East on Monday 6 April. Scheduled to be a two day event the Sunday racing was cancelled due to gusts in excess of 25 knots, and there weren’t enough keen beans to take on the big seas so early in the season. However Monday was a different matter and the fleet of 22 boats got away cleanly. The club welcomed visitors from Bough Beech and Papercourt and former member George Smith in his RS600 adapted to sea sailing mode quickly after a winter inland.
Sophie Mackley ably crewed by newbie to Merlin sailing Duncan De Boltz reached the windward mark first only to be overhauled downwind. A trapezoid course and shifty breeze gave plenty of opportunity for snakes and ladders, and there was close racing throughout. The flash of lightening that was George was rarely seen by others on the course, unless he was lapping them, and at the finish it was George followed by the Merlins of William Warren and Andy Prince, Alan Warren and Will Carroll with the ILCA 6 of Rob Janering in fourth.
The second race saw the eager fleet called back with a general recall, and again it was Sophie and Duncan who got to the windward mark first. The course had been tweaked to tighted up the bottom reach with some fun waves to plane on and the safety boats were kept a little busier. George again disappeared into the distance, and the Wayfarer of Bill Whitney and John Shelton came in equal second with William and Andy. Mike Perry and his crew stepped back into their boat as if they had never been away finishing fourth.
Overall and winner of the East Cup was George, with William and Andy second, Mike Perry and his crew third, Rob Janering fourth and Sophie and Duncan fifth. A massive thank you to our race and safety team who gave us great racing and were on hand when needed.
Results (Shoreham SC uses the RYA local scoring system)