It was an overcast start to the day but improved throughout the day with mainly sunny conditions
An offshore, force four wind brought with it some big shifts and gusts but the sea state was smooth. The flood tide was still much in flow with HW at 13.50.
A good mix of classes with 4 x RS400’s, 4 x Lasers and one A-Class, Phantom, Contender, Europe and a RS Vareo.
Rigging underway
Race one. After a rare for Gorleston General Recall, the fleet got off on the second attempt. Phantom Nick, normally ‘Quick Nick’ in these conditions lived up to this and after making the best of the start had a small lead up the beat and led round the windward mark, maintaining this to the line. Richard & Rosie led the chasing pack of RS400’s. The Lasers were having a close tussle with six seconds separating Simon and James after two laps. Just behind another close battle between Contender Phil, Europe Steve and Laser Nathan. On lap four Nathan read the shifts perfectly to move ahead of Simon and James. At the line James just pipped Nathan with Simon a few seconds behind. The big gusts and shifts caught a few out resulting in some capsizes during the race and eventually a few retirements
Race three start
Race two. The wind had picked up a tad by this time making conditions a little more testing. No general recall this time but now eight starters. Richard & Rosie moved up a gear leading the race from start, finishing two minutes clear of Nick who was second.
Nathan led the charge from the three remaining Lasers, with Simon and James just a few seconds behind after two laps. On the third lap Nathan managed to open up a twenty second lead which he held to the finish. Steve and Vareo Richard were not too far behind after lap one but could not maintain the pace of the Lasers.
Heading to the windward mark
Race three. Now only six starters, Adam & Jordan nailed the first beat to lead Richard & Rosie after lap one. However the Phantom, Lasers and Europe were close behind with only fifty seconds between the first and last boat. Lap two, Adam & Jordan still out in but Nick hot on their heels. Further back James led the charge of the Lasers with Simon four seconds behind, Europe Steve another four seconds, followed by Nathan. A rare moment for the good ship Custard who gracefully revealed her bottom to the world, leading to a retirement for Richard & Rosie.
Lap three, a good one for Simon who opened up a thirty second lead on James, with Nathan and Steve a little way behind. Lap four, Adam & Jordan led across the line, having maintained their lead throughout the race. Nick crossed second, just nine seconds behind. A ‘stonking’ final lap for James saw him pass Simon to finish just nine seconds behind the Phantom.
Rarely much between these three all day
On corrected time it was a clean sweep for the Laser 6’s, taking the two top spots in every race. Nathan beating Simon in race one and two with Simon taking race three. The Lasers almost took all the podium places with James taking third in races one and three in his Laser 7. Richard & Rosie flew the flag for the other classes taking third in race 2.
Thanks to the race team who were keep busy throughout the day, with several capsizes and course tweaking.
Today was the final outing of the Spring series. Three different classes in the top three positions, Congratulations to Steve, sailing his Europe to overall honours, with Dave & John second in their RS400 and Phantom Nick third.
Note – next week is the first of the Hopton race series.
Full results on the club website http://www.gygsc.org.uk/Results/2025/2025Spring.htm
More pictures on the club Flickr site
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gygsc/albums/
A rare sighting of the yellow and white hull