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Commodore Sir Malcolm Green claimed the Deep End Trophy, the first Swallow trophy of the year on Sunday 13 April with son Andy called in at the last minute to deliver the final race win against Gwaihir. Archon had it her own way for most of the weekend with two wins on Saturday, but Gwaihir with two seconds, followed by a win on Sunday morning set up the last race showdown.
Saturday had also been far from uneventful. Spectre built up a fine lead in the morning only to discover new sandbanks at East Head. There seemed little enthusiasm to get into the chilly April sea and push off so the race to the Gallon line was between Archon and Gwaihir who was ragged unmercifully for failing to see the `S` flag flying and dropping their kite before the finish. The afternoon race saw Six boats on the start line but a prolonged squall of 30 Knots gusting at one time to 35 on Cambermet soon had most fleeing for home.
Three boats entered the fray for the final race each sailing two up. Carolyn Brigg was crewing Mike Wigmore on Gwaihir having lost Marengo's mast the day before. Harry and Prue Roome were sailing Skua, unable to win only because they had been OOD on Saturday, and the Big Guns were out on Archon. Much circling from the preparatory signal onwards led to a fairly equal start due to Archon having to dip Skua on the line. Not a problem Andy had to deal with during the last Cup. Archon soon had control which she maintained until some doubtful crew work saw the kite over the bow at the end of the second run. Andy`s attempts to bamboozle the OOD Richard Grant into believing that he had miscounted the laps and Archon was actually finishing proved unsuccessful so the race was back on. After another tacking match up the starboard shore Gwahir was left briefly uncovered and found a huge shift to came into the last windward mark right on Archons transom. At the final wing mark Archon`s young foredeck hand had one more go at handing the trophy to Gwaihir but Andy`s experience hung on to see Archon home with a win, and the Deep End Trophy by a boat length.
Many thanks to the race team on this last weekend in the temporary facilities before the fine new Dining Room opens. |
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