Andy Prior enjoyed a clean sweep of wins at Welland Yacht Club’s club event on Sunday.
The first race was the sixth in the Morning Points series.
With seven boats taking to start, Prior (Laser) made the most of what little breeze there was to be first around the windward mark followed by Brian Cobb (Europe),
Tom Bell (Laser), Ros Nickols (Europe), Geri van Haren (Phantom), Mark Holland (Laser) and junior Olivia Hall (Topper).
The downwind run to the top mark allowed Bell to move up to second and van Haren into third with Cobb and Nickols still vying for fourth.
Prior would start to pull out a considerable lead during tacking back to the windward mark for a second lap. With Cobb and Nickols trying to maintain handicap distance from Bell and van Haren ahead of them.
Junior Hall would elect to take a timed single lap.
So Prior led the fleet back over the finish line followed by Bell then van Haren, Cobb, Nickols and Holland.
Cobb and Nickols moved up to second and third respectively once handicaps had been added.
The first of the afternoon’s races was the third in the Commodore’s Points series.
Only three boats took to the start, all in the Laser class so handicaps would play no part in the results.
Prior took the lead from the start from Bell and with Holland hitting the windward mark and having to take a penalty turn, the front two started to pull out a substantial lead.
With Bell gaining on Prior during the downwind run, Prior managing to pull away during the tacks in the upwind leg.
On approaching the top mark for the second time they were almost level but again Prior pulling ahead over the upwind leg to take the win from Bell second and Holland third.
The final race of the day was the fourth race of the Commodore’s Points.
Six boats this time took to the start, joined again by Cobb plus Gail Follington (Laser) and her daughter Katie (Laser Radial).
Cobb got away slightly ahead only to get caught by a gust and capsize, allowing Prior to round the windward mark first followed by Bell then Holland, Gail Follington and
Katie Follington and finally (once recovered) Cobb.
As they rounded the top mark the lead two order remained the same, now with Gail Follington in third from Holland.
The order would remain until the final upwind leg where Cobb eventually caught Katie however she gained the fourth spot under handicap.
Prior claimed the hat-trick from Bell and Gail Follington.
