A fickle breaze developed enabling only a minor delay to Saturdays first race. With the wind dropping in from each side of the course, the race officer finally managed to get the fleet away, albeit in a significant left shift. The early tack off the line saw a number of boats pop into the front row, although this was later partially undone when more wind on the port layline brought the first group into the windward mark.

Sam Mettam, fresh from a season long break from the class, and 2013 National Champion crew Rich Anderton, took command of the first race, sailing off into a comfortable lead. Usual suspects Dave Wade/Ben McGrane and Dave Hall/Paul Constable finishing 2nd and 3rd respectively with Ian Dobson/Ben Ainsworth recovering to a 4th.

A similar story in race 2 saw the early tack off the port end of the line look like a winning stratergy. The Irish boat of Connor and James Clancy led around the first lap, with Mettam/Anderton and Dobson/Ainsworth stretching away from the pack. In retaliation of Mettam's [arrogant yet comical] toilet break on the second reach, Dobson/Ainsworth picked their way round to take the lead. The race ended Dobson, Mettam, Clancy with Mark Maskell and Nigel Sheppard leading the next group into 4th.

A slowly disintegrating breeze died to nothing in the 3rd race. Still the race continued, albeit in a slow, painful and at times random fashion. Simon Maskell and Richard Wagstaff sailed a well-controlled race to maintain the lead and drift themselves to a bullet. The lightweights of Anthony and James Willcocks were unfortunate to lose out to Dobson and Ainsworth on the last beat, but sailed a solid 3rd place with Mettam/Anderton in 4th.

Sunday morning promised a little more breeze. After a lazy start the fleet got out to a perfect flat wiring and sunny day on the water. The first race was still shifty however, with the middle of the beat generally paying. Two boats contesting the lead from the start were Hall/Constable and Dobson/Ainsworth. The chasing pack of Maskell/Wagstaff, Mettam/Anderton and Wade/McGrane were not able to reel in the front two but contested a tight race for 3rd place. With Dobson/Ainsworth taking the win and Mettam/Anderton taking 4th and only one more race scheduled Dobson and Ainsworth need only stop Mettam winning the final race to take the Championship. With this in mind a degree of prestart tomfoolery resulted in the two teams being pushed in to the middle of the fleet. Mettam did well to overhaul Dobson and recover to a 4th, but never challenged for the lead. Hall/Constable took the win in the final race to end a great day on the water with Wade/McGrane in 2nd.

Outside the top 5 the racing was highly competitive with some wildly varying scores and the odd black flag!

Special thanks to Draycote and event sponsors Allen Brothers and NeilPryde.

Overall Results: