The pattern of erratic / bad weather continued again this week. Dawn broke with a violent thunderstorm in the Central Solent. The Met Office forecaster thought that the wind would be West of South swinging to the left during the day to about 170 degs. BUT they also said that local thunderstorms would affect the wind direction and strength. They got it right. The fleets endured hail, thunder, rain, sunshine and large changes in the wind depending what was falling out of the sky at the time.

David Murrin sailing his Farr 40, 2XL, won both IRM races. Peter Morton, Salvo, won IRC 1 but the series front runners Shaun Frohlich, Exabyte(2), and Jon Perry, Firestorm, were 2nd & 3rd respectively. Mike Bennett is close to winning IRC 2 after another race win. Eduoard Wylleman, Carabistoulles 2, won the X-332 class ahead of Russell Hodgson, X-Therapist, and these two are very evenly matched overall. Vincent Hayter, Highland Spirit, also did well in the Sigma 38 class and his 2nd win advances his cause. Providing racing is managed next Sunday then the Black Fleet classes will be able to discard their worst result and this could drastically affect the overall standings.

On the Sportsboat course no-one managed to dominate their class. Ian Gill, Offbeat, had a 1st & 2nd in the Mumm 30 class to improve his overall position. Ian Atkins, Bluefin, made it three wins in a row by winning the morning race in the 1720 class but Steve McLean, STBD, finished just behind him and them went on to win in the afternoon. Ian Southworth, Chilli Chaser, is still being consistent in the 707 class. This week he had two 2nd places behind, Mark Gillett in the morning and Russell Mead in the afternoon.

Class Winners:

IRM, Race 1 & 2, 2XL, , , , David Murrin

IRC 0, , , Thunder II, , , R. Boulter

IRC 1, , , Salvo, , , , P. Morton

IRC 2, , , Waverider, , , Mike Bennett

IRC 3, , , Prime Cut, , , Peter Parker

IRC 4, , , Funtastic 2, , , Glyn Deakin

X-332, , , Carabistoulles II, , Edouard Wylleman

Bowsprit, , Jezebel, , , B. Isles

Sigma 38, , Highland Spirit, , Vincent Hayter

Sigma 33, , Musketeer, , , Simon Curwen

Mumm 30, Race 1, Offbeat, , Ian Gill

, , Race 2, Warp Factor VI, Robin Fielder

Cork 1720, Race 1, Blue Fin, , Ian Atkins

, , Race 2, STBD, , , S. McLean

Sportsboat, Race 1, Seeing Red, , Paul Cornick

, , Race 2, Wee Jamarama, Stewart Hawthorn,

Hunter 707, Race 1, Pocket Battleship, Mark Gillett

, , Race, 2, The Ant Hill Mob, Rusell Mead