hursday of the RS400 Eurocup brought a day of solid sunshine and high temperatures on Lake Garda. The Ora which most people were hoping for unfortunately never quite materialised but instead there was a teasing southerly starting the afternoon with a good 13 knots and slowly dying as the afternoon went on.
Three races were scheduled for the day to make up for the lack of races this week and the Race committee did very well to get all three races in.
Race 5 (first race of the day) had the most breeze. James Downer and Jono Price Lead up the beat and didn't look back to win the race.
Ian Robson sailing with Sandy Johnson who nailed a port tack start and had a great scrap with Barrie and Harriet Thornton who are by far the best boat on the start line this week.
Unfortunately for these two, Stewart and Sarah Robertson who were having a bad day by their standards was lurking behind them down the final run and chose the final gybe of the race, a mere 25m from the finish to pounce. They took second from Ian and Sandy relegating Barrie and Harriet to fourth.
Race 6 saw Howie and Dan go upwind like a pair of demons and lead round the top mark to gybe early and head for the cliffs. Stewart and Sarah were not far behind and worked slightly further right down the run and came in on the pressure to take the lead. Mean while the other contenders, Jim and Jono, and at the time overall leaders were still trying to round the top mark back in the twenties. They found out first hand what Big Ben Ainslie felt like in Perth after having a camera boat next to them for half the beat........they however did not board the rib nor threaten anybody holding a camera. The right of the run paid in a big way and threw a handful of different boats into the mixer. Stewart and Sarah led from Howie and Dan and started walking away with it. Jim and Jono started to get their act together and pulled through the fleet rounding the final top mark in third. They just scraped through to second but just lost it in the final 100m to Howie and Dan who kept their nerve to reclaim their Position.
Race 7 was held on the 500 course as the wind had gone on the 400/200 course. A BIG pin end bias led to a good beat by Stewart and Sarah (starting to see a pattern here) and Barrie and Harriet who again nailed a perfect pin end start we up there. Jim and Jon had another bad beat but managed to pull up to 2nd. Elaine Turner and Sijbrand Jongejans sailed really well along with Barrie and Harriet to take it to Jim and Jon for the remainder of the race. On the final run however Boy George (who is playing in the bar next door on Saturday) sailing with Izzi Mitchell nailed a perfect final run to take third behind Jim and Jon and Stewart and Sarah.
The results at the end of the day leave Stewart and Sarah first on countback with Jim and Jon going into the final day. Three races are scheduled and the Ora is expected in full.........watch this space.
