On Saturday morning, 50 devoted sailors rose from their beds to sail at LEYC at the Summer Regatta. With the weather that has been lingering the last few days all expected a wet one and all dressed accordingly for it, but someone was watching out for us because there was not a drop of rain. But, with a cold and consistent eight to 12mph northerly breeze, conditions were favourable.

At 11.00am, John Phillips, Admiral of LEYC and Race Officer of the day, started the races. The racing of the day saw a contingent of Faireys, J24s, Cruisers, Yeomans and GP14s vigorously fighting for space on the Clubline.

The atmosphere was jovial and electric and when the first hoot went off for the first race the fleets were pipped on the line by Donald McCarthy who took off with a fabulous start in his green Yeoman. Donald was single-handedly sailing his Yeoman and he kept a fantastic lead for most of the first race, showing that this clinker of a boat can be so versatile.

It was the experience of Bertie Forsythe and his son Robin that proved priceless as this Teflon duo won the first of Saturday's three races. The Faireys also set off on a hot pursuit of the finish line and the victor of that race was Mick Whaley in his graceful Maeve.

The second race started after lunch. This start was not one for the faint-hearted as the jostle for the line was very close, but again one boat, Honeybee, helmed by Declan Dooley just broke free sufficiently to get far enough from the collection of boats on the clubline and get a wisp of wind to carry him forward.

This race became a three Yeoman boat race between Honeybee, Bertie's Crista and Raymond Morrison's Utter Chaos, crewed by Ed Beattie. The fight for the finish turned into a very unpredictable close call between Honeybee and Crista and all on shore were eagerly watching as the two literally battled on the finish line but the experience and knowledge of Bertie proved to be the deciding factor and he won his second race.

The Faireys also were sailing well mingling at the marks with all the other fleets! Mick in Maeve won the second race for this fleet with Storm, helmed by Joey Kelly and Snipe helmed by Fred Ternan taking the second and third places respectively.

Once all were over the line and John Phillips had recorded their positions, the starting sequence started again. All were back to hunching together on the line, trying to get the best spot, trying to not lose the breeze that had the ability to carry the boats across because it is true that a good start is all but half of winning a race, the other is to stay in front.

Just as the many watches chimed in the ten second countdown before John hooted from the shoreline, one boat seemed to be sailing at a completely different angle to where the rest were pointing. It came from the rear and, as he has done in the past, Raymond Morrison took off like a scalded cat. He gurgled past all and marked his position as the winner of the last race.

Winds were beginning to ease a little but that did not stop the four boats that were trying to gain podium positions of second and third. Crista, Honeybee, Hieroglyphic and Thief in Time, helmed by John McCrea, swapped positions so many times during the final race of the day that it must have made anyone watching dizzy. Honeybee did try and spend some of its time covering Crista. It hoped to beat the 'daddy' of the fleet but Crista gave as good as she got. Thief in Time kept up and it paid off for him as it won a deserved third place with Honeybee in second.

Mick unfortunately did not score a hat trick for the day and Storm won the third race of the Fairey fleet.

The Club was fortunate to have Peter Scott on the water, who was there primarily as a rescuer but since no one decided to take a swim, he took some wonderful photographs some of which can be viewed on the Club website www.leyc.net www.leyc.net

The weekend took a disappointing end with the wind having slept in on Sunday. So, after a hearty lunch, the overall scores of the previous day were calculated and prizes were given. The LEYC cup was given to Mick Whaley, who took first in the Fairy fleet, Joey Kelly was second in Storm and Fred Ternan third in Snipe. In the Cruiser fleet Crista and Utter Chaos were neck and neck points wise but with Bertie Forsythe of Crista receiving two first positions he took the prize for the first place, Utter Chaos' Raymond Morrison took second and Honeybee's Declan Dooley took third.