Despite the light winds, low water level, and terrible weeds, Sunday morning saw five crews brave the water for the start of the Welland Sailing Club Sunday Points Series.
A reaching start to the first race with the wind coming over the clubhouse saw Helen Boyd (Solo) first away, followed by James Ramp (Laser), Alan Chapman (Laser), Rob Bowden (Laser), and Jorrit Schrauwers (Solo).
With shifting winds and large patches of weed, Ramp pulled away from Boyd and Schrauwers got past Chapman.
A mistake at buoy one by Ramp gave Boyd the chance to get past. The positions were held to the end of the race and unchanged after boat class handicaps, with Boyd leading home Ram, Schrauwers, Chapman and Bowden.
Boyd made a good start to the second four-boat race, followed again by Ramp, Bowden and, after a fight with a large clump of weed, Schrauwers.
The wind direction had changed and it was a tight reach up river that required the sailors to tack before they got to Shelly’s Bush corner.
As the wind dropped Boyd held her lead but as they rounded buoy one for the final time, it was Ramp who came out ahead to cross the line first.
However, the application of class handicaps saw the first two swap places, with Bowden taking third place ahead of Schrauwers.
A reaching start to the afternoon race again saw Boyd first away, this time followed by Schrauwers, Bowden and Ramp.
A slight lift in the wind saw Schrauwers and Bowden get past Boyd as they rounded Shelly’s Bush corner.
The wind dropped but when it returned and the boats headed up-river for the last time, Schrauwers was ahead of Boyd and had pulled out a good lead by the time he reached the line.
After the application of personal handicaps, the final order was Ramp, Jorrit Schrauwers, Bowden and Boyd.
Despite the fourth-place finish, Boyd holds the overall lead after three races.
