Dinghy Racing: August 4th

24 hours before Ben Ainslie was confirmed as the greatest Olympic sailor of all time, a quadruplet of the brave and cautious did honest battle in a Pursuit race in the mouth of the Helford.

The Biggs’ in their National 12 were first of the quarry to be coughed out of the Narrows followed belatedly by Brooks under dressed with Radial.  9 minutes later the predatory RS400s were unleashed in pursuit.  Insufficient  width of runway for two kites to fly down the moorings caused Berryman and Bolitho on full afterburners to swerve behind McD & Beccy, narrowly missing a T Bone collision with some very expensive pieces of fibreglass impeding their trajectory.  Conveniently in view of the Ferry Boat Inn & HRSC Clubhouse, the Narrows delivered an immaculately timed blast of air whilst McD and Beccy attempted a gybe.   With no further custom Sammy and Jack in Loveboat  moved to more discrete waters whilst the fleet searched for themselves  the missing Committee mark in the mouth of the Helford.  Deciding on the Gew as an alternative on the dog leg from Central to Toll,  racers reached on the run and ran on the reach as  planning gusts  to 25 knots shifted variously West & South.  Having devoured their prey in the allotted time pursuers returned with their prey on the long beat home aided by a flooding spring and complete calm under the clubhouse.