The wind causes several capsizes in
latest round of Autumn Points Series

Sunday saw the next three races in the Autumn Points Series held in sunshine and a good breeze that encouraged 11 boats to come to the start line.
With the wind blowing straight down the river it made for a beating start with a long and short tack and the favoured port end providing some interesting moments at the beginning.
It was Andy Prior in the full rig Laser who judged the start the better, closely followed by Alan Chapman also in a full rig Laser and Alan Cox in the smaller Laser Radial rig. Mark Scourfield in the Solo and Andy Agar in the OK dinghy were also in close contention.
The wind had some strong gusts on the beat and this found out Cox who fell victim and capsized as he tacked at Shellys Bush Corner allowing most of the fleet to pass.
As Chilvers Corner was rounded, the order was Prior, Scourfield, Chapman, Agar, Alistair Mitchell and the rest closely bunched.
There was disappointment as the sail up to four buoy was tight and it also developed into a long and short tack making it hard work.
Prior rounded first, followed by Scourfield and close behind, Chapman. The gybe on the buoy was tricky as the wind seemed to gust and this caused Chapman some issues and he lost ground, eventually retiring.
Mitchell, in the Laser Radial, was tussling with Agar all round the course and Richard Stedman in the Comet, Neil Tack and Rebecca Slator in the Graduate, and Cox all finished the race within one minute of each other.
Prior hit the last mark and had to re-round it, which could have cost him the race but he had enough time in hand to win, followed by Scourfield, and Mitchell in third place after the handicaps were applied.
The forecast of wind increases did not materialise for race two and ten boats made the start as the course was the same but with a different rounding on the four buoy which was well received.
It was Scourfield who judged the start and he managed to clear the right of way boats, closely followed by Prior and Cox and with Chapman capsizing just beyond the start line, the fleet were in pursuit of the front three.
Izzy Herring, sailing the Laser 4.7 rig, was getting used to the boat in racing and was making good progress round the course and completed the two laps without a capsize unlike a number of boats on the day.
Prior managed to overtake Scourfield on the beat and Chapman had made a recovery from his capsize and rounded the four buoy in just ahead of Agar.
This remained the order of boats at the finish but this time Prior had not a sufficient time lead on Scourfield to win once handicaps were applied so he was placed second behind him with Agar just pipping Chapman for third place .
The forecasted wind started to increase for race three and fewer boats came to the start.
It was Agar in the OK that made a flying start and was clear of Prior and Scourfield.
At Chilvers Corner it was Prior who had sailed through ahead of Scourfield, who had just got the better of Agar in a tacking duel at Shellys Bush Corner and held it just up to the four buoy turn.
Prior held the lead on the return to the clubhouse, even after a capsize on the gybe at the mark, and with Scourfield also joining the swimming victims and retiring, this allowed both Agar and Cox to chase him down.
Racing became close in the chasers and at the end of the race Prior came out first, second was Agar and in third was Stedman, with three of the boats finishing within 15 seconds of each other racing was close.