Ken Takes The John Venables Trophy

Gunfleet Sailing Club members took part in the race for the John Venables Trophy on Sunday 4 August but were slightly frustrated by the light winds; Ken Potts claiming the trophy after a close tussle.

An hour before the start there was an offshore zephyr breeze which certainly made it questionable if there would be any racing at all but the Officer of the Day optimistically looked to the forecast being accurate; it stating the wind would go 180 degrees.  Sure enough, hal an hour later, the direction veered north easterly, and continued moving round until it was south-easterly and had also filled in just a fraction.  The race is rather unique as it requires the circumnavigation of all the Club’s race marks, using the AWS buoy as the pivotal point between each mark.  The competitors used the flood tide to hold them back as they skilfully manoeuvred up to the line although Ken Potts looked like he had reached there a bit too early in his Laser but managed to stall the boat sufficiently to stay the right side.  As the start flag fell from the yardarm it was Brian Allen that lead the way in his RS Aero, followed by Potts, and then John Tappenden in his RS Aero.  It was a slow reach up the coast to the Kingscliff Buoy and, as they rounded it, Tappenden now lead, followed by Potts, Allen, and then Martin Chivers and Dave Ingle, both in RS Aeros.  The second leg was what was thought to be a fetch back to AWS but such was the tide that it required being close hauled and, in almost all cases, a small tack being added at the last minute.  Slightly further back was Paul Jackson in his Laser, Simon Kedge, single handed in his GP 14, and Andy Stafford in his Lightning.  The boats then sailed back up the coast to Preston Park, returned to AWS and then beat out to the Seaward mark.  By now, Allen had taken the lead, with Tappenden and Potts close behind.  The run back to AWS saw little change in positions but on arrival at the following mark, Lilley Farm, Tappenden had regained the lead, only to have it taken from him a little later.  With the wind having now increased to seven mph the boats made it to the St. Michael’s buoy and reached back to the finish line, fighting the tide all the way, to discover that, on handicap, Potts had won the day. 
  
John Venables Trophy:
1.    Laser – Ken Potts
2.    RS Aero – John Tappenden
3.    RS Aero – Brian Allen