Hamble warming pan - Gill Series #1

The 2011 Gill Series kicked off with a fabulous weekends sailing at Hamble. The weather ignored the forecast and delivered a sunny force 2-3. There was a spring feel to the air and a particularly big spring tide to match making tide one of the biggest factors for the competitors to grapple with.

Race one saw the start line split with competitors placing their bets on either edge of the river to avoid the tide. In the end the port end paid off and Very Hungry Caterpillar took the lead which they held to the finish.

Cat in the hat led race two from early on claiming a significant lead half way through the race. The combination of a ripping ebb tide and wind filling from behind on the run compressed the fleet with Blue Kangaroo and Very Hungry Caterpillar putting in a last minute challenge, but Cat in the hat kept the lead.

The tide was flooding hard for on Sunday morning for race three. Again there was a big difference of opinion in the fleet on which side of the river to start. Mike & Alex Storey in Electric Prune picked the best track off the start and looked to take the lead but Very Hungry Caterpillar sniddled inside at the corner to take an early lead which they kept to the finish. The Electric Prune and Blue Kangaroo had a good battle for the rest of the race with Blue Kangaroo taking second.

The tide slackened for the final race. This time is was the turn of Christian Day & Sophie Richards in Silver Lining to show the way off the start line. They battled with Blue Kangaroo and Very Hungry Caterpillar up the first beat, but dropped back as the trio headed out of the river into Southampton Water. Blue Kangaroo and Very Hungry Caterpillar battled all the way around with the Caterpillar taking line honours. 

Footage at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF1t8W-IBDw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgyhX8gx4rc

Overall results

1st Very Hungry Caterpillar, Graham Camm & Zoe Ballantyne

2nd Blue Kangaroo, Jon Ibbotson & Charlotte Stewart

3rd Cat in the hat, Andy McKee & Clare Hunter

Admiral's cup

1st Esmorelda, Nick Copsey & Naomi