Tony Bennett Pursuit Race 2017 - A Circular Wind

The traditional season opener at Weymouth Sailing Club is the Tony Bennett Pursuit - an all in pursuit race. The forecast was for a light North Westerly but what do forecasters know! When the race committee arrived in the bay to setup there was zero wind apart from a little bit about 100 yards off from Bowleaze. Soon though a light North Easterly filled in across the bay and seemed to be stabilising - ish. But 10 minutes before the first start the race committee looked to the South to see Squibs hoisting their spinnakers to sail back to the committee boat - in a Southerly breeze.

Faced with having to make a call on the course the Race Committee plumped for a course - it nearly paid off. With a slightly assymetric course passing possibilities were limited with most of the place changing happening in the last third of the 'beat'. It was brilliant to watch - kinda like a formula 1 race but without the speeds.

Congratulations to Tim and Emma who managed to work their way through the fleet to in the last couple of minutes to take the overall victory.

Thanks to the Race Team and Safety Boat. A special thanks to tilted for the loan of their boat as committee boat.

Submitted on 1st May 2017