Splitting up is never easy

For the Masters Standard fleet it's split day, first races in gold and silver fleet.

There may be a chill in the air, a sharp reminder that the seasons will be on the turn soon, but the morning has been glorious so far round Hayling Island SC with bright, crisp sunshine and a moderate NW'ly breeze which was a consistent 10-12 knots as the huge fleet started putting to sea.

It may be a little cooler and fresher than some of the competitors are used to in September, but the action really is simmering nicely in many fleets.
Today the Standard Masters fleet splits into Gold and Silver fleets, each 42 strong Arnoud Hummel (NED) heads out today knowing that he needs to keep up his top line consistency if he is to stay head of current world champion Scott Ferguson (USA).
And in the Apprentice fleet, for the 35-44 year old 'youngsters', Greek Olympian Adonis Bougiouris is being pursued hard by Australia's Brett Beyer.

In the Grand Masters Peter Vessella (USA) has been showing the benefits of his 25 days of training on the waters off his native San Francisco, as he leads by three points over Germany's Wolfgang Gerz.
The Radial fleet's Keith Wilkins (GBR) leads the Great Grand Masters, Lyndall Patterson (AUS) needs a good day today in the Grand Masters to hold off the advances of those chasing her, Steve Cockerill is bidding for his fourth Radial Masters title and leads Brasil's Joao Ramos by four points, whilst Scott Leith (NZL) is holding his own with no score worse than second in the Apprentice Masters.

So with a good forecast, 9-11 knots there should be every chance of keeping on schedule today. The first discard was applied yesterday but the second discard does not kick in until Race 10, which on the current schedule - which is not likely to be increased to any more than two races a day - would mean the final race of the regatta would be a discard option.

So, tension to the end?

17/9/2010 12:10