HWS Day 1 – 9 Oct 2011 – Report from Pavlova III

Another very impressive day for the With Alacrity Team. This has re-ignited the racing schedule for P3 and it is time to try and get ahead of this dominant team. Being over the line at the first start has helped us, as this will not happen again! (we were hoping our mate Jamie may have been looking the other way, but in an un-like P3 sporting fashion we chose to trawl back over the tide and re-start). We were delighted with our recovered 5^th position in a rather processional race...come on HRSC, we want 20 tacks up a windward leg, not 2.

On the second start, P3 should have pushed WA right over to Ryde up the first beat, sitting nicely to weather and putting the usual s***s up Mr & Mrs Choules. They were nicely under pressure, with rule book and protest flag in hand, but, not wishing to engage or over stand the first mark, we chose to tack off and lost the best fair tide....so it was definitely worth staying left for that extra 30 feet of depth.

Team Persephone were on our tail throughout the second race and closed the gap, but took a bad tack into the last windward mark and had to tack with the pole up, ouch. I think the tide had already turned? We listened for the usual Family-Goodhew entertainment and that left us with a well earnt 2^nd place.

The fleet still looks impressive and full marks to the progressing Teams. P3 has suffered in mid positions for the last 20 years...so please do not stop working up through the fleet and well done to all those who gave Dacron-Kevin and Mefisto a deserved beating.