Solent's favourite charities - the John Merricks Trust and the Hamble Inshore Lifeboat - benefited to the tune of £1,700 last weekend after the Hamble River Charity Pursuit Race, marking the end of the 2000 MDL Winter Series.
By the last windward mark, Hill Head buoy, the Impala "Polly", sailed by Winter Series race director Jamie Wilkinson, was 30 seconds ahead of the first Sigmas. But immediately behind them and catching fast was Graham Deegan's Swan 441 "Menenes", plus the Farr 40s of David Murrin, "2XL" and Nick Haigh "Too Steamy".
The penultimate leg from Hill Head was a beam reach back to Coronation.
The last leg was a short leg, and while Wilkinson managed to hang on to his lead, he was less than 15 seconds ahead of the Sigma 33s "Summation", John Wright, and Julian Spencer-Smith's "Jupa".
The sportsboats had their own race and prizes.
First boat home, and ninth overall, was Martin Moody sailing the 707 "Bogo Pogo". Next was Peter Thomas sailing the 707 "Matisse" using a new larger sail plan and mast, the first outing for the new experimental rig.
Starting five minutes behind the other 707s, Thomas overtook all the other 707s and narrowed the gap on "Bogo Pogo" to about 30 seconds by the finishing line.
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