the 2008 Pumpkin Regatta
Fanshawe YC * London, ON * October 4-5
Race 4.05
photos by Steve Currie and Paul Chesman
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As Matt, Matt and Jamie proceed down the run towards #1, Sue and Steph (4677) speed towards the windward mark on starboard.
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Mike, too, takes the less nerve-wracking approach: starboard to the windward mark. Meanwhile, Len Macdougall tacks to avoid a collision.
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Perhaps the rowers should have practised at the empty end of the lake???
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As Jeff completes his beat, Mike and Sue (4677) cruise along on a nice spinnaker reach, which is now ...
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... a run once again.
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Nicely framed by foreground branches, Roger and Rae have been ....
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... beautifully "captured" by Steve Currie here.
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Already Kim and Dave look like seasoned spinnaker veterans!!.
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In a race where everything has fallen into place for him, Al (3rd W from left) is just about done putting half his lead onto port tack, and will now tack ...
- click here for full-sized image
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... tack to starboard, through this convenient gap in the Wayfarer line. The battle for Wayfarer 2nd remains wide open, though.
with (l to r) Dwight, Len, Sue, Jens and John all still having a realistic shot at it.
- click here for full-sized image
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And Mike (2nd from left) is still right in there as well.
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Another cliff-top view a few seconds later. Are we not a gorgeous sight??!!
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Here Julia and Al have tacked for the finish line, and they ...
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... may very well cross before any other W reaches #1.
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Why does Al (2nd from left) have the tight of way over Dave (4782) here? If you said "leeward boat", you were right.
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Same rule applies here between Jeff Eames (l) and Jack Blocker (1796).
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First place. Al and Julia have just completed a gem of a race, if I do say it myself.
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Sue Goldt threads her way through closely bunched Wayfarers on her way to Radial 2nd behind Paddy. Meanwhile, in the fight over W 2nd, Sue (2nd from left) has John trapped until she is ready to tack. Of course, Sue can't afford to wait too long, what with Mike coming across on port with fine speed not far astern of her.
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At last, Sue Pilling figures she can lay the line, and she ...
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... tacks - followed instantly by John (7351) (and Sue Goldt, of course). Team Mystic (4677) and John will place 2-3, as Mike (no sail #) has to ...
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... throw in one more very short hitch to lay the line. Mike's bow is barely visible under John's boom, and Mike will now ...
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... luff up and shoot the line to cross just ahead of Sue Goldt (3434). A good solution for both parties since Sue was port boat and might have had to tack away, if Mike had not luffed up right around the mark here. As can be seen, Wayfarers #5 and 6, Jens (7663) and Dwight (4606) were also very close to the others here at the finish.
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