the 2008 Pumpkin Regatta
Fanshawe YC * London, ON * October 4-5
Race 3.01
photos by Bob Steer, Steve Currie and Paul Chesman
...

With (l to r) Steve Dietrich, Matt McClure and Kevin Biskaborn leading the way, the Lasers are off in ...
- click here for full-sized image
...

... race #3: start(A-B) - 6 - O - 6 - 4 - 2 - finish(A-B), buoys to port - same as for Race #2
...

Again it'll ultimately come down to distance made up the lake (rhumb line to #6) more than ...
...

... who's to windward or leeward.
...

Matt McClure has just been crossed by Jon Dietrich.
...

Jacob in fine form on a port-tack lift
...

A couple of Radials (wide end of window forward) cross a regular Laser.
(l to r) Hannah and Kieran Waitschies, Ben Harrison
...

Sue Goldt meets the first of the Y's who are starting their run down to the Pumpkin mark.
...

Meanwhile, the Wayfarers' countdown is at last underway, and now ...
...

... they're off on a line that this phase of the wind shift cycle has made virtually impossible to cross on starboard. Note how far off the line people were, having first tried laying the line on starboard. I seem to recall that I threw in a quick tack to port with about 20 seconds to go, and then tacked back with 10 seconds to go. That left me nicely to windward of the starboard boats and in fine shape to tack at will just before the start signal was given. A slightly riskier manoeuvre by Sue (4677) who tacked to port earlier and ...   - click here for full-sized image
...

... hit the line with better speed than Al. Note how Al is footing off to make it tougher for Sue to get into a blanketing position.
Once Al has speed and separation, he can start pinching the way he likes to.
...

Another nerve-wracking duel: Dave and Kim (4782) are on the verge of getting a safe leeward on John and Dolores, something the latter really want to avoid. In this wind phase, they especially don't want to be forced to tack onto the currently very ill-favoured starboard tack.
...
After a tense duel ...
...

... Al and Julia (3854) have pinched off Sue and Steph, forcing them to tack.
Less affected by Al's backwind is Mike Codd who holds port tack.
...

It's a very close race among the Y's as their run takes them past the Race Hut.
...

Virtually tied for their lead are Ed Hone (2687), Richard King (2794) and Robert Montgomery (2778) with ...
...

... Jamie Alexander (2667) and Steve McCamus (2546) also in the mix.
...

Pierre Dignard and Parker Cudney make their Y-Flyer move under spinnaker, as ...
...

... the W's pass on their way to #6.
...

Port tack remains dramatically favoured. (l to r) Jeff Eames, Jens Biskaborn, Uncle Al, Dwight Aplevich
...

Not to be denied with his spinnaker advantage, Pierre pulls into the Y lead, leaving ...
...

... Ed (2687) in 2nd place, while Robert (2778) and Richard (2794) fight it out for 3rd as they near the leeward mark.
...

The Open Fleet start signal is about to be given and now ...
...

... they're off with the Petteplace/Stanlick CL looking good, as is ...
...

... Doug Carey in his Hobie 14 (l).
...
next photos page
return to 2008 Pumpkin index