First and fastest for hardworking Wild One crew as they down rival Excitabull in division one race

Division one skipper Murray Deere and his crew had to work extremely hard to defeat a gallant Geoff Oliver in last Saturday’s handicap start harbour course race.

Oliver in Excitabull was given a two-minute start and got away very smartly and was moving very sweetly in the hot conditions with a south-easterly about 14 knots that pushed all yachts along at good speed, if a bit fluky at times.

Wild One was not doing all that well in the early stages and Oliver looked like staying in the lead. Eventually Wild One overhauled Excitabull but with some good reading of the wind, Oliver was back in front.

It was only when Excitabull’s crew had spinnaker halyard problems that cost valuable time did Wild One get back the lead.

It was enthralling sailing and a real David and Goliath encounter, but on this occasion Goliath came out the winner.

Wild One was victorious and fastest, leaving Excitabull with second in a memorable race.

Division two had a handicap start where Lloyd Pascoe was away first with Arkessa and a skeleton crew. He was followed by Stephen Brown’s Mary Maitland, then Stephen Lee’s Flasheart.

Josh Hughes in Joker was the chase boat.

Pascoe, without the use of spinnakers, was doing well and held onto his lead for a long spell before Flasheart spoilt his fun.

Lee was moving quickly and so early in the race looked unstoppable. Brown had Mary Maitland into second place after a difficult job of getting through Arkessa. Joker wasn’t showing the speed that it had displayed over the past few weeks and was lagging way behind.

Nothing could stop Flasheart and its crack crew as they went on to record a fine win and fastest time.

Mary Maitland maintained its consistency to take second place and Pascoe was happy with his third-placed result.

Flying Fifteens also sailed a harbour course handicap race with Wayne North away first with Frequent Flyer.

He was followed three minutes later by Aileen Lucas in Crazy, who had a three-minute start over Simon Lucas in FForever Young.

North took full advantage of his handicap and scooted away to a handy lead, but Lucas didn’t allow that to happen as she showed good speed in the light conditions.

Crazy hit the front and opened up a huge gap that North couldn’t close. Simon Lucas could only look on from way behind as the breeze began to drop out.

Crazy won easily and recorded fastest time in a fine effort.

North took second place in a better performance with FForever Young in third.