News - 2014

13:51 Monday 5 Aug 2013 Rupert Holmes/CWLA better day than the forecasters promised

More White Group dayboats started prematurely today than on the first two days of the regatta. Photo: Rick Tomlinson/CWL

After a brief spell of rain while the early starts were getting underway, the day has so far remained dry, with the wind settled into a light to moderate southerly, mostly between 170-180 degrees. While the mean speed is 10-15 knots, there are big lulls with only 6-8 knots close into the shelter of the island shore, giving an opportunity for tactical racing and a less boisterous day than forecasts initially predicted.

White Group dayboats headed east against the building ebb tide at their start, which gave many competitors the confidence to push closer to the line than on previous days. A number of the leading Redwings, for instance, were OCS at their start. A gust 20 seconds before the start for the Squib fleet pushed a full third of the 24 entries over the line prematurely, yet only one boat – Emma Baker and Sam Prime’s Rhapsody in Blue – returned to restart.

The afternoon is expected to remain predominately dry, until a further band of rain moves across the area this evening. The first Black Group finishers are expected to cross the RYS line, from east to west from 1420 onwards, while White Group fleets start finishing just over half an hour earlier.