Course:19       Wind Dir: W  Force: 3/4      Race Officer - Ken Hubbard

Crews of Big Purple and Jacobi knew that this final race of the Early Summer Series, would decide the winner of the series. Either boat could have won, so this added an edge to the race, on a fine evening with a westerly breeze.

The PY yachts Hatty and Kudu started at 1820 and got away up river to the turning mark, followed ten minutes later by the faster eight yachts, sailing to the IRC handicap. The upwind mark off Trebah Beach became somewhat congested, with many shouts of "Starboard!!" and "Water!!" being heard, as helms jostled for position rounding the mark. Gotcha and Jacobi began to establish a lead as the colourful fleet of spinnakers headed back down the Helford River, out into Falmouth Bay to the Eastern Mark. Gotcha rounded first, after an excellent second leg, and Hatty was caught by the rest of the fleet. Big Purple gained some advantage on the long beat back into the River and sqeezed past Jetta at the Nare Mark, at the end of the second spinnaker leg. Jabadeo had been caught by a gust which caused a broach, just after sorting out a spinnaker wrap, but went on to beat J92 rival, Jetta, by a narrow margin. Demolition, which had been going really well, had trouble dropping their spinnaker at the Nare Mark, so there were some anxious moments as they neared the rocks. The race was shortened to finish at the Gew Mark, and Gotcha notched up her first win of the series with Big Purple second and Jacobi third in the race, on corrected times. Big Purple's second place was enough to clinch the series win, with Jacobi second, and Jetta third. Kudu finished ahead of Orijin and Jinjy on the PY handicap. After an exciting and eventful race one sailor claimed that the Helford River now provides the most competitive racing South West of Plymouth.