NEW blood introduced into both teams last week at the Interlakes Challenge between Tamar Lake and Roadford Lake Sailing Clubs raised the pressure and competition.
James Platts the Roadford principal, was officer of the day assisted by Julie.
Two races were run back to back in the morning with a longer race after lunch.
It was warm on the water with overcast conditions and shifting winds, varying from southerly to NW force 2-3.
Seventeen boats took to the water for the first race with a standard triangle, sausage triangle course starting just of the pontoon and sailing in the southern end of the lake.
The lead changed several times with places being strongly contested. Simon Metcalf's Dart 18 was well ahead of the fleet but retired to play in stronger winds at the far end of the lake after being overtaken by several Wayfarers and Robin Burnham's Flying 15.
Rob Horsley with his crew hiked out on their trapezes in the Laser 5000 sped round the course to take line honours finishing first.
In the first race after handicap: 1 Kevin Boyd and Sonia Calloway in Wayfarer 9155, 2 Mike Kinger and Nicky Buckett in Wayfarer 7490, 3 Mike Ford in his Laser 112466.
The second race started in a flurry of boats all jostling to start at the favoured end of the line. The lead changed numerous times between the Burnham's Flying 15, Boyd's Wayfarer, and the Wayfarers of Kinger and Walllace. Roger Ford with Val Shillito crewing his Wayfarer made up two places at one mark going from fourth to second by some tactical sailing and holding off other boats at the leeward mark.
After allowing for handicap the second race results were: 1 Horsley and his crew James in the Laser 5000, 2 Ford and Shillito in the Wayfarer, 3 Boyd and Calloway in another Wayfarer.
The third race was set around the fixed marks in the lake starting in the inlet below the cafe. Boyd and Ford were on a starboard tack calling for right of way and making other boats tack away. With close sailing boats touched, protests were called and boats ended up doing 360 degree turns as penalties. Again the lead was strongly contested and changed several times. Nigel Hughes and Nigel Wayne in their Laser 2 sailed well finishing ahead but owned up to having touched a mark without doing their penalty turn and disqualified themselves.
Boyd and Calloway were winners, 2 Kinger and Buckett, 3 Alistair Wallace and Dick Seeley in Wayfarer 8780.
Over the five race series of the Interlake Challenge, individual results were: 1 Kinger and Buckett Wayfarer 7490, 2 Wallace and Seeley Wayfarer 8780, 3 Buckett and Kearse Otter 490.
Roadford Lake Sailing Club won the challenge with 34 points to Tamar Lake Sailing Club's 87 but look forward to the return match in the autumn at Tamar Lake.
This Sunday boats will race for the Goodacre Cup. All members of the Lakes Trust sailing clubs are eligible to enter. Start of first race 11.30am.
l Weir Quay Sailing Club held the second race of its Spring Series in near perfect conditions with a north-westerly force 3-4.
Peter Carter in his Wayfarer 'Magic', crewed by Thomas Brooks and James Lovering, led all the way.
Second place was hotly contested by Rob Brereton in 'Popple' and John Tomlinson in 'Final Chance'. They fought it out neck and neck for most of the race — with second place eventually going to Rob Brereton by five seconds.