FRENSHAM Sailing Club’s annual Ten-Hour Race took place on Saturday, July 1. With a light to moderate westerly breeze and warm sunshine, conditions were ideal at the Great Pond.

The format is for each team to sail for 45 minutes and then come back for a pit-stop change over to a new crew. This can sometimes mean an amusing shambles, but all went well in the calm weather.

With 11 teams entered, numbers were down a bit on past years, but some 2.4 keelboat helms were in Holland for their World Championship and other club members were crewing at the annual Round the Island event.

Even so, with the changeovers, it meant that some 40 competitors were on the water at different times.

The race was close and competitive, with the two Solo class teams fighting a particularly fierce duel.

After ten hours, the Blue team – Brian Taylor, John Brooker and John Haine – narrowly held off the Yellow team – Alan Dance, Jeff Dolton and John Marriott – by a five boat-length margin.

Third place went to Stefan Bennet’s RS200, crewed by Fiona and Gordon Taylor and family.

This enjoyable day closed with a barbecue and a guitar performance by musician/ composer David Cane-Hardy whose beautiful and surreal ‘Life and Love’ echoed around the lake. Tribute also to the kitchen staff who had a very long day.