Andy Prior edged out Frostbite leader Mark Scourfield in Sunday’s fourth race of the Welland Yacht Club.
Although not as cold as the previous Sunday the forecast was still for strong winds as 12 boats took to the start.
Most of the boats hung back to time a fast run at the line.
Andy Agar (OK) got the timing spot on and took the early lead from Richard Stedman (Laser 4.7) then Geri van Haren (Phantom), Alan Cox and crew Mark Holland (RS200), Mark Scourfield (Solo), Andy Prior and Richard Holland (both Laser Radial), Helen Boyd and Ian Thompson (both in Solos), Alistair Mitchell (Laser Radial), Gail Follington (Comet) and Eric Murray (Mirror).
As they made their way upriver to the first mark (buoy three) van Haren took full advantage of the gusts to power his way to the front followed by Scourfield then Prior leaving Agar in fourth, with Cox-Holland fifth and Mitchell sixth.
The remainder of the fleet would exchange relative positions during the gusts.
On the second lap Prior gained second place from Scourfield third and Cox-Holland managed to get up to fourth.
van Haren would cross the line first with Prior three and a half minutes later.
Scourfield followed 20 seconds later and Cox-Holland a minute and a half after that.
He was followed by Mitchell, Agar, Follington, Thompson, Holland(R) Stedman, Boyd, then Murray.
With a variety of boat classes taking part, handicaps would play their part in the final results.
As well as Prior gaining the win, Follington would move up to third, Murray up to eighth, van Haren dropped to fourth and Cox-Holland seventh.
Scourfield retains the lead in the series with Follington in second.
