Sailing: Zephyr settles Overdraft (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Sailing: Zephyr settles Overdraft

8:12am Friday 30th September 2005 in Sport By Dennis Aris

LIGHT southerly breezes became stronger, with sudden, unpredictable wind shifts for the start of the Royal Windermere Yacht Club's Flying Fifteen race on Saturday.

The steadiest breeze for most of the beat proved to be between the east shore and Andrew Kirk and Helen Ginsberg in Zephyr rounded the Beech Hill mark just ahead of Frank Kelly and Carole Drury in Fiscal Folly and John Wright and Roger Brown in Freebooter II.

Boats held their positions as the breeze came round to the south-east and gave a good spinnaker run back to Sandy Nab, followed by a stiff beat across the lake before the leaders chose different lines to Ghyll Head Despite gear problems, Zephyr held on to the lead and at the finish line had a narrow win over Fiscal Folly, with Freebooter II third, and first Classic yacht.

At the close of the Summer Series, Sam Rayner's Kiffs won the Lady Belle Average Cup, John Wright's Ffrodo took the Wrigley Cup for classic yachts and Nigel Tullett won the Freebooter Helms Trophy for the helmsman with the highest average.

With a strengthening south to south-westerly breeze on Sunday the final race for the Overdrafft Trophy was sailed over a zig-zag course in the north lake, The leaders found the best breeze down the east shore with Andrew Kirk and Litton Ledger in Zephyr rounding Henholme ahead of Nigel and Jean Tullett in Kiffs.

On the first spinnaker leg Kiffs chose a line up the east shore and reached Millerground well ahead, Bev Armer and Andrew Whitehead in Ffidget came up into third.

Kiffs built up a winning lead, while Zephyr and Ffidget competed for second.

Zephyr proved the stronger, and held on to finish second, also taking take the Overdrafft Trophy.

The four races for the season's last trophy, the Autumn Bowl, will be sailed on the first four Sundays in October at 2pm.

n KILLINGTON Wind-surfers's season was characterised by light winds and lack of rain as the lake gradually lowered to its current 20 feet below normal.

The lighter winds favoured the lightweights who took the first three league positions.

The season Mark Taylor, a veteran of the national racing circuit, joined the association.

Gill Ainsworth, the only lady competitor, continued to improve since buying an IMCO race board.

At the end of season meal last year's league winner Phil Atherton presented the trophy and tankard to this year's winner John Pawson.

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