Noble Marine Comet Trio Nationals at Exe Sailing Club - Day 2

Noble Marine Comet Trio Nationals at Exe day 2 © Mike Acred

Saturday dawned calm and sunny. Surely we're not going out, there's no wind! But as the Race Officer, Les Arscott, said 'If we don't go, the tide will turn and we'll never get out of the estuary!'.

So 21 Trio sailors, paddled, drifted and coaxed their boats out of the estuary, past Dawlish Warren and out to sea only to be greeted an hour later by – the postponement flag! However, all was not doom and gloom. As the stragglers made it out to the committee boat a gentle 4 kts Southerly breeze graced the racecourse and soon we were underway.

The first race was sailed in this gentle breeze, which was remarkably steady, and the Trios with their new rigs started to pull away from the rest of the fleet. Old hands Guy Farrant and Graham Sykes had a close tussle with new recruits Rex and Sue Frost and came out just in front. Steve Ashford and Martin Yeomans came through to take 3rd place. Adrian and Tracie Padro were the best of the original rig sailors in 4th place.

Race 2 was quickly started in a building breeze, maybe 6/7kts now! Another triangle, sausage, triangle and the same two boats were at the front. This time it was Rex and Sue who outsailed Guy and Graham in another close fought race that was over quickly as the breeze increased. The Original rigs were fighting back though with Stuart and Rory Bush in 3rd and the ever present Andrew and Caroline McAusland in 4th.

For race 3 the course was extended and 4 laps were signalled, the wind had increased to perhaps 10/12 kts and the chop was starting to form. Steve and Martin got away to a flyer closely chased by Stuart and Rory, but you can't keep a top team down for long and the McAuslands were soon clawing their way through the fleet to the front. Steve and Martin hung on for 2nd with the Padros 3rd and Guy and Graham 4th.

So after 6 of the scheduled 7 races have been sailed it's one of the closest finishes ever in the Trio Nationals. 6 points separate the top 5 places. Last years' National Champions still lead but Guy and Graham could still catch them if they win in the forecast big breeze and waves of Sunday's final race.

Results after Day 2: