Tom Bell continued his impressive start to the new Welland Yacht Club season on Sunday by winning two of the three races.
With a cold and breezy start, the first race of the day was round two of the Morning Points Series and was contested by eight boats – although three competitors capsized during the count down to the start.
After the start Bell (Laser) was first to round the windward mark, followed by Andy Agar (Laser) then in close succession Alan Cox (Laser Radial), Paul Burton (Solo), Ros Nickols (Europe), Alistair Mitchell (Laser) then a little further back Neal Tack with crew Phil Robinson, Ash Steer (RS Vision) and finally Mark Holland (Laser).
Once on the downwind run, the lead Lasers of Bell and Agar started to pull out more of an advantage, with the mid-pack of Cox, Burton, Nickols and Mitchell occasionally swapping positions.
The order would remain the same for most of the race, with Bell pulling out a decent lead over Agar for the finish followed by Nickols, Burton, Mitchell then Cox with four different classes covering the top six class handicap would surely play its part.
Bell comfortably kept the win from Nickols with Burton third, Cox fourth, Agar fifth, Mitchell sixth.
The afternoons’ races were rounds three and four of the Munson Cup personal handicap series.
The first of which saw nine boats take to the start, again Bell pulling out the early lead from Agar, Burton, Cox, Mitchell then Brian Cobb (Europe), Gail Follington (Laser Radial) and junior Katie Follington (Topper).
While Bell continued to build his lead well into the second lap, Katie Follington elected to take a lap time with the mid-pack still reasonably close to each over.
Bell would cross the line some five minutes ahead of Agar, Burton, Cox, Mitchell –with only 21 seconds covering second to fifth.
Behind them, Cobb was sixth, Tack-Robinson seventh and Gail Follington eighth.
However, once personal handicaps were applied, Katie Follington would take the win from Tom Bell, Alan Cox and Brian Cobb.
The final race of the day, Munson Cup race four, the fleet was down to seven.
Bell again making the windward mark first followed by Agar, Burton, Follington snr, Tack-Robinson, Cobb and Follington jnr.
By the end of the first lap Bell had increased his lead with Burton now second from Follington snr with Agar slipping to fourth, Cobb fifth, Tack-Robinson sixth, while Follington jnr elected to take a lap time.
The impressive Bell was again first across the line, with Burton in second and Agar managing to get himself back to third.
Bell would keep his win from Burton, but Follington snr claimed third and Cobb was fourth once the handicaps were applied.
- Anyone wanting to find out more about sailing should contact the club via email [email protected] and somebody will be in contact.
