David Trippe Trophy & SWDCS 1

A cold Southeasterly wind greeted the twenty skippers who contested the first of the South West District Championship series. With the wind from this direction there was always going to be trouble at the windward mark. There was no way skippers could walk on water to view the mark. One or two skippers seemed to have trouble obeying the Port and Starboard rule – Nick Martin was ‘taken out’ in two races by Port tack boats at the windward mark, which just sailed straight into him. They may have completed their penalty turns but ruined a good result for Nick who went home in disgust.

Simon Clark of West Cornwall put his stamp on winning the trophy with a score of just twelve by lunchtime. John White of Bideford and Richard Aucott together with Bob Conner for the home side put on a good performance but were unable to reel in Simon.

It was pleasing to see Matthew Johns, a young teenage skipper from West Cornwall finish in twelfth place and who also competed in the recent National IOM Ranking event at Woodspring.