Port Edgar Yacht Club Easter Series - Race 6
by Nigel Duncan Media 28 Apr 2005 09:17 BST
27 April 2005
Absolutlely 2 raced through the field to win the Easter Series fast yacht class in the Forth Estuary last night (WED). The Mumm 36, which missed the Autumn and Winter Series at Port Edgar because of a broken mast, secured the title by claiming first place in the final round.
A strong tide with a variable west wind up to Force three made it tough for entrants on a fine night with clear skies. Absolutely 2, owned by a Fife-based consortium, made light of the tricky conditions to lead the fleet home.
Ken Kelly, Mike Bramall and Jim Plommer, have used the six-race event as a warm-up for the Scottish Series on the West Coast next month. They totalled ten points over the six races, finishing five ahead of Jeronimo helmed by Danny Sinclair from Edinburgh.
Jeronimo, a J109, did not compete in the final race as it is being prepared for the Scottish Series.
Kermit, owned by George Fyfe from Dalgety Bay, was third overall, one point adrift of Jeronimo.
Fyfe finished 12 out of 18 Wednesday night but needed to come in the first four to successfully defend the title.
Bruce Walker, with two new crew on board, steered his Sonata called Salmon to victory in the hotly-contested slow yacht class in the final round and he needed the win. He finished with 11 points, the same as Flint, a First 235 helmed by Howard Dryden, and Mike Christie's Sadler 26 called Magic Moment. Walker, however, won because he had two firsts in the six races.
Last Resort, a Blaze, won the overall dinghy category comfortablly, Peter Collings steering the craft to seven points, a total which included three seconds, including a runners-up spot on Wednesday night, and one first place.
Second, six points behind, was another Blaze called Incitatus helmed by Peter Sykes with the Wayfairer called Third Time Lucky owned by Ingrid Clayden in third place on 14 points.