---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 30 Jul 2004 05:49:43 EDT
From: Sailpics@aol.com

The Prince of Wales Cup was presented and first raced for in 1927, and it is
not surprising that there are precedents for most circumstances that might
affect the running of the race. The situation we have experienced this week, when
the race had to be postponed for lack of wind on Tuesday and then again on
Wednesday, occurred as long ago as 1930, proving once again that there is hardly
ever anything that has not been seen before in this long established class.

Finally, however, the boats went afloat yesterday (Thursday) to sail their
annual championship race, after an initial postponement by PRO Jim Sinclair to
allow the breeze to become established. Unlike a championship based on a points
series, the POW is always a do or die effort, and it was not surprising that
the first attempt at starting resulted in a general recall. Even with a black
flag, the second attempt also brought about a general recall, with four
unfortunate boats having to go home after they were spotted over the line.

In a way, it was fortunate that these initial attempts at starting were
aborted, because there was then a period of almost complete calm, and everything
had to wait for the breeze to re-establish itself. Eventually, there was enough
to organise another start, and this time the fleet got away without further
disqualifications.

Victor Brellisford and Damian Ash had the best of the first beat, and rounded
the windward mark with a handy lead, which they extended over the next lap
and a half, beginning to take on the appearance of likely winners. However, the
vagaries of the breeze began to take a hand, and the extent of the lead they
had built up counted against them when another period of calm gave along,
giving the boats behind the advantage of seeing what was happening and avoiding the
worst affected areas.

Although the order of the leading group was shuffled to an extent, the
situation did not arise where there was a massive change that might have resulted in
huge gains and losses. Several teams had periods in the lead, including Chris
Turner and Peter Bagwell, Andy Partington and Ben Verniere, and Andy
Fitzgerald and Simon Marks, with Brellisford and Ash making determined efforts regain
the leading position.

Finally, the break that won the day was made by Andy Partington and Frenchman
Ben Verniere on the sixth and final windward leg, when they established a
good lead which they held down the reaches to the finish at the leeward mark.
Fitzgerald and Marks approached the finishing line two-sailing the final reach,
but Brellisford and Ash set their spinnaker, went for the leeward end of the
line, and just took second place by a few feet.

It had been a nerve-wracking afternoon in a breeze that varied from zero to
ten knots, demanding extreme patience from the race officers and competitors
alike, but it was generally agreed that it had been a fair contest, and it
certainly provided an exciting race. It was, of course, late in the evening before
everyone got ashore.

Today (Friday) we return to the points series, with the possibility of three
races being sailed if the conditionas are suitable.

[ENDS]

Regards,

Peter Danby

Email: sailpics@aol.com
Web site: www.peterdanby.com
Telephone: +44 (0)1983 761353 mobile: +44(0)7850 647929
Address: Saltern Wood Quay, Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, PO41 0SE, UK

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Received on Fri Jul 30 11:04:34 2004