The first cup series of the year was raced in a F5-6 southwesterly sea breeze which had appeared out of a warm and cloudless sky. Steve blasted away in his RS700 knowing that he needed to almost lap Neil over 4 laps to beat him on handicap and win the coveted Watler Cup. With it’s silver coating nearly worn off it looks almost like real gold. It was not to be. Things we going so well until a major and slow capsize on the 3rd gybe giving Neil a comfortable win. Jason looked in contention until a late equally slow series of capsizes left him in 3rd position. Trev, racing a Laser for the first time, and second sail in one, did magnificently to finish 4th having completed a full range of capsizes and found that it is quite hard to bear away in a Laser and stay upright with full kicker in a force 6 gust.
The second race with the tide turned, waves picking up and big wind shifts inshore caused Steve some grief and both Neil and Jason were too fast to catch. Trev continued through the full range of capsizes, including righting the boat with no dagger board, before deciding to call it a day.
Jason was sailing a Radial, but as there were no other slow boats the Centripump Cup couldn’t be raced. He opted to count his results as in a full rig but the places would have been the same if worked out as a Radial.