K6 Open at Oxford Sailing Club

K6 Open at Oxford © Grant Blake

K6 Open at Oxford © Grant Blake

K6 Open at Oxford © Grant Blake

Oxford SC provided the only inland event the K6 class have in their calendar. A healthy fleet of 12 boats turned up with boats from as far as Torbay and Essex.

Saturday's weather provided a gusty and typically shifty NE wind ranging from 8 18 knots. Neil Fulcher & Luka Crispin were first out of the blocks winning the first two races. Their march on the last was stolen by Peter & Jasper Kirkby who took the lead from the start winning by quite a margin while the rest of the fleet fought for the minor places. In the background was Harry & George Barker who in the tricky conditions were putting in a constant set of results while most of the fleet were swapping places with the front and the back.

The course was shared with the Contenders and D Ones which made for some interesting manoeuvres as the shifting wind often meant urgent action to avoid fallen boats. Adding to that the fleet did not help itself with Dave Halls daughter Laura falling out the boat and Richard Addison doing a bit of spear fishing with his pole.

The fleet retired to the bar and later to the local pub for food and drink, a tradition that keeps the fleet together socially and means good mannered racing most of the time.

Sunday's wind was from the same direction but considerably lighter. Neil and Luka took the first gun but as the wind dropped it was the local team of Mike Trueman & Martin Gibson who showed the fleet around the reservoir winning then next two races. The rest of the fleet sharing places throughout the race from 2nd to last in the shifty conditions. It was however, once again in the background Harry who with a string of seconds won the event without winning a race. It was a well-deserved victory in very trying conditions.

Overall Results: