It was left to the final race of the Spring Pursuit Series to decide the IRC series winner.
Six boats started in the drizzly rain, with a good southerly breeze. After crossing the River to the South side, there was a short spinnaker run to the Shag mark off Mawnan Sheer. There was a long fetch to Nare Point with Gotcha threatening to pass Jetta to windward, but having to fall in astern as the boats rounded the reef, on the way to Porthallow. The boats hardened up to head in to the Porthallow mark and Gotcha managed to pass Jetta. Spinnakers were hoisted and Big Purple lead the way to the Rosemulllion mark with some good surges of speed coming with the gusts; Jacobi reportedly reaching a speed of 14 knots. Orijin had the misfortune to split her spinnaker when the sail went slack and then suddenly filled again. On the beat back from Rosemullion to Nare Jacobi continued closing on the boats ahead, and passed Jetta on the way back to the Committee mark by trying the spinnaker, with Jetta using her genoa. Big Purple kept ahead of the fleet and reached the end of the course first, but did not realise that the race had to continue by repeating the last three legs if the time had not reached 19.45.  This put Gotcha in to the lead, and she managed to stay in front of Jacobi by about 30 seconds as the race finished at the Nare mark. Jetta was third, which gave Jetta and Jacobi equal points from the series, but the tied decision goes to Jacobi because she finished in a better position in the last race.

Chris Symes also sailed with the fleet in all of the races of the series on Valkyrie, sailing to a PY handicap. It is hoped that other PY boats will sail in the next series and join in with the sport.

Origin

Jacobi

Gotcha