So imagine you had to organise a sailing event, with 4 races, in your ideal world what would you have before and after racing?? Free bacon rolls tea and coffee before launching feature, bet it did, how about a BBQ and beer on arriving ashore?? This ideal world was reality at Parkstone YC, where the RS200 fleet travelled for the 4^th round of the SW Ugly Tour sponsored by www.2ndhanddinghies.com, if Carlsburg did sailing events...

Launching into the sunny Poole Harbour, the fleet were treated to a f1-3 shifting wind, with plenty of snakes and ladders. Race 1 got away cleanly, with the left hand side paying dividends up the first beat and a big tidal influence at the windward mark catching a few people out in the light winds. The wind died almost completely on the 2^nd lap, but it was Matt Mee/Emma Norris who took the win from Kirsten/Duncan Glen and Edd/Carl Whitehead.

Race 2 saw the left pay again up the first beat, this time with Glen/Glen in control, chased by Mee/Norris and Kevin Druce/Izzie Frasier putting in their best performance of the day in 3^rd position. The 3^rd race saw a change at the top, with Dan Vickers/Toby Lewis taking the lead at the first mark to the finish, with the wind shifting left up the second beat, the race officer wisely shortened the course to 2 laps, with the fleet tightly bunched John Teague/Naomi Pound held off Karen Baker/Jo Allam to take 2^nd and 3^rd respectively.

So going into the 4^th and final race, favourites for the win were Mee/Norris and Glen/Glen, with a few other people in with a shout, and all to play for in the fleet with the very close racing. Mee/Norris were pushed hard, but finished their day with another bullet, from Glen/Glen and Baker/Allam. With their top hospitality, Parkstone clearly thought all aspects of the day through, and arranged a blasting kite reach in sunshine back to the club in a building breeze, what more could you ask for??

Back ashore the smell of burgers on the BBQ wafted across the boatpark, which the fleet dutifully consumed, washed down with a beer. The prize giving was held at the BBQ, with Matt Mee/Emma Norris from Red Wharf Bay SC taking the win, from local Parkstone sailors Kirsten Glen/Duncan Glen in 2^nd place, who had a superb day, also scooping first Silver fleet boat and Junior prize with Dan Vickers/Toby Lewis from Parkstone rounding off the top 3. In the silver fleet, 2^nd position went to Chris/Alice Bailey from Parkstone followed by Kevin Druce/Izzie Frasier from Burghfield in 3^rd. The bronze fleet was won by the Exe duo of Victoria Upton/Jess Harding who had a brilliant day, finishing in 12^th position overall, from Shuan Robson/Marie Smith from Parkstone and Izzy Savage/Paul Williams from Bristol Corinthian in 3^rd.

After a very satisfying day on the water, what more could you want to do than sit back on a sunny balcony with beer in hand overlooking the very picturesque Poole Harbour, yep Parkstone even arranged that! So that leaves one event remaining on the SW Ugly Tour Calendar, which is Chew Valley Lake SC on October 17^th. Its all still to play for with several possible winners in each fleet, don't miss it!!

John Teague