End of Season at the Norfolk Punt Club
by Dick Roe 3 Oct 05:27 NZDT
24-26 August 2024
End of Season at the Norfolk Punt Club © Robin Myerscough
This Sunday saw the last day of club racing at the Norfolk Punt Club on Barton Broad. The race programme on the final Sunday is flexible although usually includes a pursuit races.
As the wind was blowing straight up and down the broad from the south the race team set a windward/leeward course for the first race with start/finish gate, windward gate and downwind gate.
Leader on the water was the punt Pippit but winners on handicap was YBOD Small White sailed by Peter and Sian Robbins, ahead of Yeoman Monthelie sailed by Ez and Seth Male, with Pippit sailed by Jack Drew-Leventon and Eliza Bolton third.
While the competitors ate lunch the race team moved the race marks out to form a rectangular course with two reachs a beat and a run for the pursuit race. The competitors then set off at intervals with the scratch boat Harry Scotts mini punt (handicap 1000) racing for 60 minutes.
Most of the fleet completing one lap of the course before punt Pippit started which meant they would need to overtake the fleet twice to win! First to start had been the BOD Greenshank sailed by Simon Learmount and Kathy Gill who started one minute ahead of the YBODs and Yeomans.
Greenshank valiantly led for most of the race but was overtaken on the penultimate leg of the course by Yeoman Turnstone helmed by Henry Drew and crewed by team Drew.
On the final run YBOD Silver Blue sailed by Simon and Phil Daniels also overtook Greenshank. With the final seconds of the race ticking down and the finish boat struggling to keep alongside, the places changes as Turnstone dropped its spinnaker approaching the downwind mark.
With seconds to go Turnstone, Greenshank and Silver Blue were alongside each other approaching the mark and all were briefly in the lead, but the 60 minutes didnt expire untill 2 seconds after the mark was rounded and Turnstone had the inside position and rounded first followed by Greenshank then Silver Blue.
After all this excitement the fleet headed back to the club pontoons for refreshments and homemade cake before the final race of the day another windward/leeward. Leaders again the water and this time on handicap was the punt Pippit, followed by Silver Blue ahead of Small White. An enjoyable if chilly day on the water with the competitors making the most of the tactical opportunities offered by having a choice of upwind and downwind marks on the windward/leeward courses.
Next week the club runs the Athene cup race for Norfolk Punts a river race starting and finishing at Thurne mouth on the River Bure, spectators welcome.