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Skipper Neil Worrell presses on with Zuri to claim division two race in difficult winds

Des BeeckAlbany Advertiser
Neil Worrell in Zuri starts his quest for glory in a race he easily won.
Camera IconNeil Worrell in Zuri starts his quest for glory in a race he easily won. Credit: Des Beeck

Strong 30 knot south-westerly winds caused havoc among the fleets that dared to venture out and prevented others from competing last Saturday.

The strong winds, cold and rain made life miserable for skippers and crews alike but most were determined to complete the handicap start harbour course races.

Flying Fifteens decided that it would be foolhardy to compete and stayed ashore.

Correcting last week’s results, Aileen Lucas won with Crazy, not Simon Lucas in FForever Young.

In division one, Harold Keay in Shagabull started on time and quickly got away from Geoff Oliver in Excitabull.

Murray Deere was the scratch boat and gave chase but retired early on.

Keay, with four other crew, was unstoppable with some great spinnaker work to keep a gallant Oliver at bay.

Excitabull, with a young crew, battled manfully to take second place.

Division two sailed in a handicap start which saw Neil Worrell in Zuri first away.

He was followed eight minutes later by Stephen Brown in Mary Maitland.

At one stage in a squall, Worrell almost pulled the pin as the rain and wind whistled around him and his one crew member.

They pressed on to win comfortably, with Brown taking second place after some great sailing.

Four Vipers began altogether, with Murray Howson doing well with Chinese Moccasin until a broken rudder forced him back to the club.

Steve Dines, skippering Fang, continues to improve with each outing and impressed again with tenacity to win from a fast-finishing Michael Cameron in Bite Me, who took second place.

Bruce Mattinson’s Alice didn’t complete the course and missed out on a place.

The Vipers usually sail in two or three practice races but they’d had enough and got back to the club in one piece.

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