Spring Series, Race 7 Short-Race Handicap

Published 13:49 on 19 Apr 2026

With spring finally delivering on its promise, Saturday lunchtime brought *beautiful* conditions to the Salcombe ria — flat water at low tide, a warm sun overhead, and what the forecast had billed as light winds. In practice, the breeze had other ideas, serving up something gustier and occasionally stiffer than advertised, with the passage through the bag on the way to Mark 7 proving particularly shifty and capricious.

Six ILCA 6s and two ILCA 4s launched for the seventh and final race of the Spring Series, with the course set as 1-7-1-3-2-3. Race Officer Dan Bridger, reading the conditions astutely, shortened the ILCA fleet's course to 1-7, sparing the fleet what would have been a lengthy thrash in the building breeze.

Andrew Groves, Charlotte Simmonds, and Simon Dawes made the pick of the starts and led the fleet to mark 1 in a tight cluster. By the time the leaders rounded, the order had settled to Andrew, Charlotte, and Allan Willcox, and so it would largely remain.

On the run Charlotte took the initiative, threading her way down the Portlemouth shore while Andrew held a centre-channel line — a tactical split that kept the pressure firmly on and produced some entertaining exchanges between the two. Charlotte led for a spell, but ultimately could not quite reel Andrew in, and he held on to take the win, with Charlotte second and Allan third.

The long close reach out to mark 7 proved awkward in the shifty gusts, but it was amply rewarded on the return leg — a broad, exhilarating run back in strengthening air. The beat back to the shortened finish against a now weakly flooding tide rounded off a race that was rather more demanding than the forecast had suggested, and all the better for it.

Karen Ballantine and Suzy Andrews — both racing ILCA 4s and making their first appearances of the season — were warmly welcomed back to the fleet, Karen crossing fourth on corrected time. Behind the leading trio, the racing was anything but processional. Steve Walter, Emily Hoar, and Simon Dawes conducted a spirited three-way battle, trading places and racing within boat lengths of each other for much of the race. Emily capsized near the finish, and Simon, aboard the borrowed Monkey Business, was let down by gear failure and had to retire. Steve Walter, bringing welcome new depth to the fleet having transferred from the Yawl fleet, came through to claim fifth.

With Race 7 in the books, the Spring Series is settled. Allan Willcox takes the series title, with Andrew Groves second — having claimed three race wins across the series — and Janet Hawkins third. The ILCA fleet is looking in rude health: Steve Walter's arrival from the Yawls, Simon Dawes's welcome visit, and Karen and Suzy's return to the water all bode well for the racing ahead.

With thanks to Race Officer Dan Bridger, the safety boat teams, and media team Lucy Burn — ably assisted by the irrepressible Roz.

~ By Allan Willcox | Photos L.Burn