Restronguet Sailing Club in Cornwall race report St Just

This Sunday was extraordinary as it followed a Saturday of coaching that was wickedly cold. 

Sunday was perhaps a degree warmer but sailors were kitted out in winter wet suits or dry suits with the race control team in multiple layers of their warmest gear.

Race Officer David Hollingsworth and his team of four on Oyster moved out to a short distance off the clubhouse with marks set over near St. Just and down The Roads towards Falmouth. 

The wind dictated quite a large course with an aim to give the sailors the very best final to the series. 

This wind was an increasing easterly with a tad of north in it. 

It was cold to say the least and with rain in the air and choppy seas the chance of staying dry was zero; let alone stay warm.

Race one started with twenty-one boats, another great turnout for this winter series.  The club has apparently seen its best numbers in this series for many years. 

But, the conditions took a terrible toll on the fleets. 

Conditions took a toll on the racers (Image: Restronguet Sailing Club)

The magnificent International 14 was taken home with a broken rudder, others retired getting cold, various levels of exhaustion and boats starting to complain!

Over the two races fifteen boats retired leaving the spoils to be shared by few.

The results of the full series are as follows: Asymmetric: Kyle and Maddie in their RS200; Cats: Andy Aston and Becky Mayes in their Dart16; fast handicap: Robin Laney in his Contender; Laser fleet: George Lenney; medium handicap: Tim Laws in his Europe; slow handicap Martin Egan and Felix Heffernan in their Mirror and finally Peter Knight and crew in the turbo fleet in his B14.

We are back racing next April but training continues all across the winter weather permitting. 

Refer to the club website for details.