Miracle Puddleduck at Girton Sailing Club
by Peter Mason 11 Jun 2023 19:08 UTC
10-11 June 2023
Miracle Puddleduck at Girton © Steve Johnson
Girton Sailing Club held their annual Puddleduck trophy for the Miracle class over the weekend of 10/11 June. For the first time for months the weather was warm, if not windy.
Race 1 started in about 10 knots north easterly meaning that Race Officer Sam Mason and his team were faced with a very shifty wind across the lake. The fleet was away at the first time of asking with 4040 Tracy Amos and Gemma Gibson leading at the first mark. By mark 3 Wayne Atherton and Angela Sweeny 4121 had taken the lead only to be passed by 4026 Dave Turtle and Zara Frankton. These positions were held to the finish.
Race 2 saw a slight change in wind direction and an increase in strength to allow planning under spinnaker. 4026 led around the first mark followed by 4121. 4026 opened up a very substantial lead with 4121 sitting in second place while 4114 Graham Watts and Helen Jacks took 3rd.
Day 2 started with race 3. A change in wind direction allowed the race team to lay a beat the full length of the lake. 4026 slightly delayed their start to achieve the line position they wanted and promptly sailed off over the horizon, winning by a huge margin, while the following pack changed positions on every leg of the course. Very close racing. At the finish 4026 took the win with 4121 scraping second from 4114.
Race 4 was sailed back-to-back in a very inconsistent wind in both strength and direction. 4114 looked to have made the near perfect start but not as perfect as 4026 who found a gap in the line and proceeded to open up their usual lead, until about half way down the run when they parked up due to a calm spot, while the rest of the fleet caught up on a gust. The entire fleet, 6 boats, now took turns in the lead with no one boat being dominant. The last leg to the finish saw 4026 back into the lead with the other 5 boats overlapped and swapping places right up to the line. 4026 took the win with 4114 second and 4040 third.
Race 5 was abandoned because the wind disappeared.
Overall Results:
1 4026 Dave Turtle and Zara Frankton (Shustoke)
2 4121 Wayne Atherton and Angela Sweeny (Leigh)
3 4114 Graham Watts and Helen Jacks (Staunton Harold)