International 14 Perry Pot at Itchenor Sailing Club - Round 4
by George Yeoman 15 Dec 2025 01:17 PST
14 December 2025
Seven boats made it down to the club for a mild December weekend, greeted by 18 knots of breeze and a notably low-water harbour. With the tide well out, the conditions demanded full-on boat handling throughout the day putting crews under pressure!
Race One
Glen and Ed picked up where they left off the previous weekends, firing out of the blocks and quickly locking into a head-to-head battle with Martin and Harry. The two boats remained closely matched until the final downwind leg, where a capsize from Martin and Harry briefly opened the door for George and Ed to challenge for second. A rapid recovery, however, allowed Martin and Harry to just sneak across the line ahead of George and Ed and hold onto their 2nd place.
Race Two
The breeze continued to build for race two, producing another tight start between the same three boats. This developed into a drag race toward the shore, again led by Glen and Ed chased by Martin & Harry. George and Ed ran aground, allowing Andy and Harvey to move into the top group, followed closely by Hugh and Pete.
Despite the pressure, Glen and Ed and Martin and Harry once again stretched away from the fleet. Further down the course, George and Ed recovered well to secure a comfortable third. Hugh and Pete sailed a consistent race to finish ahead of Andy and Harvey, who suffered a lengthy swim at the bottom mark.
Race Three
A third race was added for those who still had energy left, setting up a SailGP-style match race between the two leading boats of the day. At the start, Glen and Ed suffered a capsize, handing Martin and Harry an early advantage. Showing excellent sportsmanship/lack of opportunism, Martin and Harry waited while their competitors righted themselves before the two boats set off hammer and tongs around the racetrack.
After a couple of laps, Glen and Ed had built a slender lead, but a misjudgement at the finish line opened the door for Martin and Harry to pounce. They seized the opportunity to spoil Glen and Ed's scorecard, taking the final race of the day.
Looking Ahead
With just one weekend remaining—and it falling just before Christmas—the fleet has one last outing ahead of the end-of-season dinner at Itchenor, bringing the Perry Pot Series and the season to a close.