Wild, wild, wild!

Published 16:33 on 5 Apr 2026

Sunday 5th April, the penultimate day of racing in the Early Spring Series and it was a wild one!

Sailing secretary Simon Dolman was out in the thick of it but still found time afterwards to share his views on the day:

The first race saw winds rise to unsailable levels at times, with several crews opting to remain ashore. By the start, conditions were extremely challenging and only a handful of boats managed to make any real headway towards the windward mark.

A number of retirements followed before the wind eased slightly. This shift allowed Matt and Brian—who had braved the conditions and stayed afloat—to capitalise, earning well-deserved first and second places.

With the moderation in wind strength, several of the first-race retirees rejoined for the second race. There were understandably a few nervous glances towards the towering cumulus clouds on the horizon, but conditions held—remaining breezy and gusty, yet manageable.

A Big well done to everyone involved: the Race Officer (RO) Paul M and Assistant Race Officer (ARO) Ian D for resisting the urge to abandon racing, the safety boat crew (Paul J and Jeanette) for their readiness to assist those in difficulty and of course, the sailors for getting out there and embracing the challenge. And thanks also to the two Marks, Nield and Roberts, for launching the second safety boat when things got really spicy!

A special mention goes to Brian, relatively new to sailing, for demonstrating an excellent understanding of sailing within his limits. His ability to stay upright and complete both races is a testament to how far he has come—great job Brian!

Early Spring Series Race 9: 1. Matt Bennet (Solo), 2. Brian Herbert (Laser), 3. Phil Watson (Streaker)

Early Spring Series Race 10: 1. Phil Watson (Streaker), 2. Matt Bennet (Solo), 3. Colin Humphries (Solo)

Early Spring Series overall after 10 races: 1. Matt Bennet (Solo) 9pts, 2. Phil Watson (Streaker) 17pts, 3. Simon and Julie Dolman (Miracle) 22pts.

An added incentive for the last Sunday in this series, next weekend, is that the winner will be awarded The Jack Frodsham Memorial Trophy. This is the first trophy to be repurposed and awarded this season. We will share more about this trophy and Jack Frodsham ans well as other trophies as the year progresses.

Photo Of Matt Bennet in action by Dave Thomas, lots of photos and video from Dave, James, Simon and Ian D, on the Facebook discussion page.

Last updated 16:50 on 5 April 2026