SYC Spring Series Race 4 - Solo

Published 16:59 on 31 Mar 2025

Fourteen Solo sailors came to the start line for the fourth race of the Salcombe Yacht Club Spring Series.  With a low water spring tide and a force four south south westerly breeze Race Officer Andrew Wood set a course to Blackstone and into the Bag followed by four planing reaches across Widegates before a final lap and a half of the harbour.

The Portlemouth end of the line was highly contested, with Chris Cleaves and Tim Fells getting onto the port clearing tack early and had pulled out with a comfortable cushion from the fleet by Blackstone.
There was more competition for the minor placings, David Greening rounded Blackstone third, but was overtaken by Will Henderson and John Evans on the reach to Gerston, with Mark Waterhouse, Simon Yates and Bill Jago hunting all of them down.
As the leaders returned to the Bag, Fells closed to the transom of Cleaves, and the pair had a hard-fought match, with Henderson in pursuit.  Upon returning to the harbour, Greening overhauled Henderson whilst short tacking up the Portlemouth shore to take third place, whilst Cleaves held off Fells following a port and starboard incident to take the win.
The Solo sailors then returned to the shore for a rest.