Two second places at Welland Yacht Club’s Sunday Points series saw the consistent Paul Burton take charge at the top of the overall standings.
Some ten boats took to the water for the first race in the series, with sailing still considered a permitted sport following the September 14 government update.
With a reasonable breeze, the fleet tacked the short leg to the windward mark with Mark Holland first to round it followed closely by Burton, Alan Cox, Neal Tack and Rebecca Slator.
Ros Nickols then took a capsize, leaving Brian Cobb fifth from Gail Follington sixth, Alistair Mitchell seventh, Katie Follington eighth, Nickols now ninth and Mark Scourfield tenth.
Once on the run down the course the faster boat of Burton took the lead with the remainder all trying to maintain handicap distance of each other, whole Katie Follington elected to retire due to increasing gusts.
Once around the lee mark Cox would take second place during the tacking back towards the clubhouse to begin the second lap.
First across the line was Burton, followed by Cox then Holland, Cobb, Tack and Slator, Nickols, Mitchell, Scourfield and Gail Follington.
But, once handicaps were applied, Cox took the win from Burton and Holland in second and third places respectively.
Race two saw eight boats take to the start, with the wind having picked up more with stronger gusts.
This time Burton made the most of the start and, on rounding the windward mark, he had started to build a reasonable lead from Cobb, Scourfield, Holland, Mitchell, Tack and Slator, Gail Follington and Cox.
Again on the run up river to the lee mark, a few positions switched and – although Burton remained as the lead boat on the water – the rest were determined to try and keep him within handicap reach.
Once back on the windward leg, a few more changes in position would transpire under tacking then Holland took a capsize and dropped several places.
During the second lap Tack and Slator also suffered from a loss of rudder when a pin broke, forcing them to retire.
Cox then encountered the first of several capsizes. And with the fleet not so far spread, there was the chance of some major changes to position once handicaps applied.
It was Burton again who crossed the line first, followed by Scourfield in second and Mitchell in third.
However, it was Gail Follington in the Topper who jumped up from seventh to take the win from Burton on handicap, with Mitchell third.
With his two second places, Burton leads the series so far from Gail Follington.
