SYC Winter Series Race 4

Published 07:14 on 20 Nov 2025

Saturday 15th November saw fourteen Solo sailors gather at the start line for the fourth race of the Salcombe Yacht Club Winter series.  Under the supervision of Race Officer Fran Gifford, with water lapping just short of the flat step, the fleet would be sent into Yalton Creek with two beats and runs followed by two laps of the harbour.

With the flood tide and a Force 3 to 4 North Easterly breeze, a competitive start saw the usual suspects head into the creek, with Robin Hodges, Chris Cleaves and William Wall playing the shifts, as the leaders approached mark 4, David Greening worked through to third.  The next loop saw the leaders spread out, with Will Henderson always in the mix.

As the fleet ran back into the harbour, the leading group held onto the East Portlemouth shore toward Fishermans, however the middle of the fleet, led by Simon Ballantine and Bill Jago split to the Salcombe side, and by the time that the fleets had converged off the Cliff House wall, seven boats were proceeding abreast, a formation held to Blackstone, resulting in many calls for room at the mark.

As the fleet settled down to the beat, Hodges reemerged as the leader, and by Crossways Cleaves was on his tail, these two holding the Portlemouth route to the Millbay mark, whilst Henderson led a group along the Salcombe shore.  As the two groups converged at the mark, Hodges and Cleaves held onto the leading positions, followed by Henderson, these positions being maintained to the shortened finish.