As the forecast promised gales for the final race in the Barclays Marine Finance Warsash Spring Series, there was some debate as to the likelihood of abandonment when the race management team met at Warsash jetty early on Sunday April 28th.

A call to the Met Office indicated winds were stronger out in the Channel and although blowing at 35 knots at the Needles, there was the possibility of a Force 4 to 5 for a while in the Solent. David Greenway and his race officers decided to go out and observe the conditions. With the wind in the mid twenties and rising, the White Group sportboat fleet was stood down.

Life is never easy for a Principal Race Officer. In designing courses David needed to consider anchoring the committee boats in a safe area where they could operate efficiently, avoiding the Thorn Channel and its commercial traffic, eliminating contention between classes at mark roundings and finishing racing before the breeze increased. It was also the biggest Solent tide of the year.

To the team's credit all the Blue Group classes enjoyed a good race in demanding conditions. In the club bar later there was many a tale of boats laid on their sides broaching with the foredeck grimly hanging on, one half in the water, as the weather took its toll on boats, equipment, skippers and crew alike.

But the series had certainly whetted the appetite for the coming season and given those who might be going on to Ford Cork Week and the Rolex Commoodore's Cup international events an opportunity to hone their skills in a range of conditions.

Provisional series results: Mumm 30 Asterix (Louis Browne), Cork 1720 STBD (Peters/Robinson/Russell), Hunter 707 Betty (Jonathan Powell), Mixed Sportboat Rattle and Hum (James Ives), IRM Assegai (Chris Hunt/Leon Christianakis), IRC1 Team Tonic (Nick Hewson), IRC2 Fastwave II (ACP Sailing), IRC3 Capitalism (Tim Harrington), IRC4 Frenesi of Clynder (David Hart), Sigma 38 Red Arrow (RAF Sailing Association), Sigma 33 Jupa (Julian Spencer-Smith), X332 X-Factor (Russell Hodgson), Bowsprit Moontiger III (Tim Gabriel).