The pursuit race from Mylor to Helford gave a competitive interest to members sailing across the bay to the annual lunch at Helford River Sailing Club.
There had been huge interest from members who do not normally race and despite the continuing unfavourable weather it was good to see thirteen boats cross the start line at times calculated from their handicaps. The forecast westerly had become south westerly giving a dead beat all the way and the overnight winds had left a lumpy sea to contend with. The three boats that chose to keep inshore in flatter water entered the Helford River well ahead of the rest of the fleet and had a real race to the line crossing tacks in the squally conditions with just thirteen seconds between the first and second boats. The next group of finishers were also relatively close together at the finish, proving the concept of pursuit racing whereby boats from 22 to 34 feet in length, some fin keel racers, others twin keel cruisers sail towards an exciting finish rather than the anticlimax of corrected time results.
Left to right: Mary Boon, Splinter and Freyja approach the finishing line.
| Results |
| 1 | Freyja | Jeff & Jackie Baker | 11.16.45 |
| 2 | Splinter | Peter Jones | 11.16.58 |
| 3 | Mary Boon | John Cruise | 11.18.50 |
| 4 | Bonnie R | Donald Macaulay | 11.25.19 |
| 5 | Jezail | Bob Shearer | 11.30.41 |
| 6 | Blue Eye | Andrew Geddes-Brown | 11.31.18 |
| 7 | Narnia | Phil & Sheila Standley | 11.33.44 |
| 8 | Dhokos | Hu Stannard | 11.36.38 |
| 9 | Nanjizal | John Foote | 11.37.15 |
| 10 | Sky Diver | John Crowder | 11.44.30 |
| 11 | Rattler | Allan & Anne Ramsden | 12.15.19 |
| 12 | Fay Nights | Thurstan Hoskin | 12.16.26 |
| 13 | Synergie | Brian Dobson | DNF |
(Text: John Cruise. Photo: Anna Cruise.)
