The always impressive Andy Prior enjoyed a hat-trick of victories at Welland Yacht Club on Sunday.
The first race was also part of the global sailing charity event ‘Bart’s Bash’ – the world’s largest sailing event that is run by clubs, community sailing programmes, sail training centres, yacht clubs, scout groups, sea cadets and even groups of sailors all around the world.
With a strong breeze 12 boats, four of which were double-handed, took to the start line.
With the windy conditions, it was decided to hold two starts one for the juniors – Connor Clarke and Rosie Willerton each in a Topper, twins Samuel and Freya Willerton each in an Optimist, followed by the adults five minutes later.
They were Prior (Laser Radial), Paul Burton and crew Lucy Burton (RS Vision), Tom Bell and crew Paul Wilson, Andy Agar and crew Mark Holland (all in the club’s two Magnos), Neal Tack with two junior crew Katie Follington and Pheobe Smith (Graduate) and Gail Follington, Alan Cox and Richard Stedman (all in Toppers).
Strong gusts capsized a few before the start and three of the junior fleet retired early, ensuring that the safety boat had its work cut out.
Agar and Holland then retired with the boat capsized and the mast head stuck firmly in the mud.
With Prior in the lead, the Burtons soon moved into second place from Bell/Wilson.
Stedman was next to call it a day, as the lead boats made their way back to complete the first lap, having to negotiate the chicane now formed by several abandoned boats.
The only surviving junior, Freya Willerton, was determined to make it to the top mark to enable her to complete a lap and record a time.
Although Prior had quite a lead, the club’s double-handed boats aren’t raced regularly enough to know how much of a physical lead is required to still maintain it after handicaps applied.
In the end, he would keep the win from Gail Follington in second, with Bell/Wilson third and the Burtons fourth.
Junior Freya Willerton went on to complete the course and set a time – a great achievement in its own right.
The afternoon’s two races would make up the Welland Paddle three-race regatta, which had been postponed from earlier in the year.
Again, Prior took the early lead from Bell/ Wilson, followed by Gail Follington, the Burtons, Freya Willerton and Tack now only with crew Katie Follington.
With the wind showing no sign of dying down everyone was having to give it their all to keep the boats upright.
Again Prior would take the win, this time from the Burtons in second and Tack/Katie Follington in third.
Only four boats took to the start for the final race, as the top three remained the same.
The victory ensured that Prior took the Peddle regatta crown.
