Bell’s run of four successive victories is ended

Tom Bell finally relinquished his hold on Welland Yacht Club’s Paddle regatta crown on Sunday after four successive victories.
Bell had to settle for a third place finish overall as Andy Prior claimed the honours.
There were eight participants competing in seven boats with clear skies and a reasonably strong breeze giving the river a few waves.
Bell and Prior both opted for the slightly smaller radial rig sails for their Lasers with the Europe of Brian Cobb and the Phantoms of Paul Burton and Jerry van Haren having no reduced sail option.
Juniors Harry Whitelam, in a double reefed topper, and Lucy Burton, crewing for Niall Holland in a RS feva, made up the rest of the fleet.
With just over a minute to go in race one, Bell was caught in a gust and capsized so decided to sit the first race out.
Once underway Prior and Burton soon pulled out a lead that wouldn’t be caught as van Haren was still getting to grips with his new Phantom’s settings earning himself an early bath thanks to a capsize.
Cobb had a delayed start due to a technical issue while Whitelam then capsized after rounding the last mark on the first lap.
Holland and Burton managed to keep their boat upright despite several close calls with the water.
Race one results: 1 Andy Prior, 2 Paul Burton, 3 Niall Holland/Lucy Burton, 4 Jerry van Haren.
The afternoon should have seen the wind ease slightly but, if anything, it had strengthened for a longer course which was set for race two.
The fleet was reduced to six with 20 seconds to go as Holland and Burton were over and finally in the water. Once righted, they retired.
Again Prior managed to make the most of the start, pulling ahead of Bell with Cobb closely behind.
On the run down from the top mark Prior had increased his lead considerably.
However, on the upwind start to the second lap, Bell managed to close the gap to about a boat length.
But Prior’s technique for running down wind allowed him to pull the lead out again on the run back down to the final mark with Cobb still closely in pursuit.
Bell then was caught by the mix of wave and safety boat wash which saw him capsize.
Race two results: 1 Prior, 2 Cobb, 3 Bell, 4 van Haren.
With three boats taking part in the final race of the day, Holland and Burton capsized before the start of it.
After the remaining two got underway, Paul Burton lost his rudder so the race was abandoned.
Overall results: 1 Andy Prior, 2 Brian Cobb, 3 Tom Bell, 4 Jerry van Haren.
This Sunday sees race three and four of the Sunday points series.