BLUE skies, sunshine and a stiff breeze brought the sailors out at Roadford Lake on Sunday.

A good fleet assenbled to meet the challenge from the Tamar Lake Sailing Club for the annual Lakes Trust Interlakes Team Racing Challenge.

The Tamar sailors arrived to unload their boats along with supporters and spectators.

Officer of the day was Chris Allen who set the friendly tone for the day's racing in his briefing on the racing and courses.

Two races were completed with Tamar sailors returning next Sunday to complete the challenge when a further three races will run.

Launching was the first challenge, on a lee shore, with a strong on-shore northerly wind force 4 and breaking waves. Several boats took more than one attempt to get away.

The course for the morning was set with traditional triangle, sausage, triangle laps starting with an upwind beat to a buoy set in Wortha inlet.

Fourteen boats started with Martin Harries being press-ganged into helming the Bosun with Len Penninton as crew — Val Shillito having decided in the conditions not to sail.

The fleet of mixed boats, ranging from fast catamarans to slower single-handed Toppers, started with boats jostling to get clean wind and a good course set for the first mark.

Then, minutes later, the fleet had spread out using the wide water to their advantage. The Darts 18s 5532 helmed by Alan Gregory and Simon Metcalf and Dart 559 sailed by Colin Mielle and Rob Horsley reached the windward mark first with their speed but would have to gain a long lead to win on handicap.

The Wayfarer, with Alistair Wallace and Dick Seeley in and Wayfarer Haze sailed by Mike Kinger and Nicky Buckett along with the Laser 2 sailed by Nigel Hughes and Nigel Wayne, all reached the mark together and vied for position and the lead as they rounded the mark.

Wallace and Seeley were round first and off to the mark across the lake in Shop inlet.

The slower Toppers with helms, Vicki Duncalf, John Duncalf and Neil Wallace and Otter helm John Buckett and crew Tim Kearse kept up well — ensuring the faster boats felt they had to push to increase their lead or they may lose on handicap.

The strong wind made for lively, energetic sailing and large shifts in wind direction caused problems for several sailors.

John Savage in a Pico capsized on the windward leg of the course but righted his boat to sail on and complete the race without further mishap. Wallace in the Topper went for a swim three times but completed the race finishing 10th.

The Laser 2 with Hughes and Wayne aboard sailed well and remained upright until the final mark when a rapid capsize enabled Kinger and Buckett in the Wayfarer to overtake them.

But they could not catch Wallace and Seeley a couple of boat lengths ahead, a speedy recovery and dash for the finishing line gave the Laser 2 7th place.

The Darts, despite finishing first on handicap, came in 5th and 12th.

The positions after allowing for handicap were Wallace and Seeley in Wayfarer 8780 1st, Kinger and Buckett in Wayfarer 7490, 2nd, Haze, and Raymond Jones and crew in their Laser 2 3rd.

The second race in the afternoon was a similar course with the second mark moved to give a better reach.

Wallace in the Topper retired as did Savage sailing the Pico. Tim Kearse crewing the Otter swapped a wet boat for dry land and Val Shillito substituted.

The sun had now disappeared and the wind strength increased.

After a bunched start with boats calling for water and having to tack quickly away to avoid collisions the fleet set off tacking to the windward mark leaving a Dart 18 motionless, having lost all momentum whilst forced to tack in the fleet. It soon got going and was planing down the lake at vast speed to regain its position.

Disaster then struck for James Platts, the centre's principal, in the borrowed Wayfarer Ghost of a Chance, the boat capsized and inverted.

His crew Julie was taken ashore to dry off and warm up leaving Platts to right the boat with the aid of the rescue boat and retire.

The Laser 2 sailed by Jones went ahead while Wallace and Kinger in the Wayfarers and Hughes and Wayne in the second Laser 2 battled to beat each other. Mike Ford in his Laser meanwhile speed ahead. The tussle between the two Wayfarers continued until the last when Kinger overtook Wallace on the final reach flying the spinnaker.

After allowing for handicap the final positions were 1st Jones in his Laser 2, 2nd Ford in his Laser and 3rd Metcalf and Gregory in their Dart 18.

After two races 1st Jones Laser 2, 2nd tied Wallace Wayfarer 8780, Kinger Wayfarer 7490. This should make for good competition next week to complete the series for the Lakes Challenge.

Start next week 11.30am.