Thankfully on Sunday the breeze came up enabling Pat Patterson and the Race Committee crew to set all 5 races for the championship series.
As the series progressed the results stayed tight with Allan Gray (Slim), Ron Harris (Jazz) and then Evert Bastet each winning successive races.
The event not only tests the ability of the helm, but also the skill of each team is tested by the need to adapt to different boats as crews changed boats between races. This also proved to be a test of their agility, as Ross took an early bath stepping neatly of the side of one Tanzer, straight into the water!
By the end of race 4 and a discard coming into play, the calculators were out as 2 points separated the top 3 teams. However, with strategies devised, immediately after the gun the game changed. Jean-Luc Gosselin (Will-O-Wind) retied and Allan struggled to gain boat speed and position off the line.
Soon a dog fit was to develop between Ron and Evert with the lead changing several times over the first lap. At the leeward mark the boats were overlapped again. Evert had the inside berth, but Ron was able to make a sharp mark rounding to take the windward advantage. Going back up wind a taking dual ensued enabling the gap to open up slightly but it remained tight to the finish.
At the gun less that 4 boat lengths separated the teams. In what proved to be a thrilling end to our regular season Ron Harris and the crew of Jazz, Pete Amos, John Marten and Michelle Jutras took the honours in this year’s Club Championship.
Congratulations to all the competitors and our thanks to the owners of the boats Ken Barrieau (Charisma), Ron Metcalfe (Haida), Mike Laventure (Knot a Clew), Daryl Seaman (Tumbleweed), and Ken Hodgson (Sloup du Jour) for their generosity in providing their Tanzers for the event.
Final results:
