Great Yarmouth & Gorleston Sailing Club Asymmetric Open

Competitors line up for the start at the Great Yarmouth & Gorleston Sailing Club Asymmetric open © David Holmes

Ed Hornagold and Ian Turner win the Great Yarmouth & Gorleston Sailing Club Asymmetric open © David Holmes

A wide selection of Asymmetric dinghies gathered at Gorleston for this years open meeting with visitors from W&OBYC, Southwold and Brightlingsea joining club members.

Saturday was more representative of a cold November day rather than September with dark skies, blustery F4-5 Westerly wind and the occasional drizzle. Race Officer Steve Knight set a large windwind / leeward course crossing the flooding tide not helped by the shifty off-shore breeze.

Race 1 saw the RS800's stamp their authority by powering away from the rest of the fleet and consolidating their lead to record the top three places with Ed Hornagold and Ian Turner taking line honours. The visiting B14 from Brightlingsea had the misfortune to break one of its wings as they rounded the first mark, which put them out of action for the rest of the event.

Race 2 was a repeat of race 1 with the RS800's pulling clear of the fleet but enjoying close sailing with positions changing throughout the race. Hornagold and Turner again taking line honours. The RS800 dominance was challenged in race 3 with Dick Roe and Kate Dulieu sailing a B14 taking third position, Hornagold and Turner made it three wins in a row and Veronica and Ben Falat securing their third second place of the day. At the end of the day the RS800's were holding the top three positions.

Sunday was more representative of the time of the year with bright skies and F2-F3 Westerly wind. With the lighter winds saw a challenge to the RS800 dominance, Richard Smith sailing a Musto Skiff began his challenge for glory recording two wins in the first two races. Martin Browne and Di Holmes recorded a third position in the first and third races and Josh Hamer and Tim Wilkins in a Laser 4000 recording a second in the second race.

This left a three-way battle for overall glory in the last race between Hornagold/Turner, the Falats and Smith. This was won by Richard Fryer and Carol Smalls in a RS400 with Richard Smith taking second. However Hornagold/Turner picked up a fourth position to win overall by just one point.

Overall Results: