Saturday heralded the first race in the Pursuit Series and a small turnout of eight boats took the water in beautiful sunshine with the welcome addition of two Larks sailing across from Marazion to compete.
The basic idea of the Pursuit Race is – using the Portsmouth Yardstick handicapping system, the boats start the race in order of speed, slowest going first (the Mirrors) fastest going last and everyone else is spread out in between. The aim of the race is to overtake the slower boats and to prevent the faster boats from overtaking you.
The race was to be 75 minutes long and the start times of each class were calculated, printed and placed in the clubhouse. There was a hive of activity before the race –with stop watches being set and crews instructed to remember each allotted start time.
One Mirror signed into race – Eric Taylor and crew Aoife Mooney with their start time 10:30am.
At the end of lap four the Mirror was just in the lead with Claire Edkins on her Laser and Jeremy Williams (crew Di Stephens) in the Enterprise close behind.
On the beat the Laser and Enterprise passed the Mirror – with only approximately ten minutes of the race remaining.
At the finish horn Jeremy Williams in the Enterprise was in first position by barely a boat’s length with Claire in second, Eric and Aoife third.
Many thanks to Becca Knee for the superb photographs of the Pursuit.
