NINETEEN boats came to the start line for the first race of the annual Frensham Open Meeting for 2.4R keelboats.

The Frensham lake was at its most frustrating, with strong westerly gusts punching in at over 15 degrees from the norm.

Top sailors from this design were on the water and by the end of the first two afternoon races, it was clear that it was going to be a two-way contest.

Megan Pascoe, who has won the event five years running, took the first race, but not the second, with another local helm, Bruce Hill, also a former national champion, relegating her to second place.

The two-way scrap continued on the second day. Pascoe took race three, Hill won race four. However, following a tense boat-for-boat racing start, it was Megan Pascoe who took races five and six and with it the trophy for the sixth time.

Both sailors are local to Frensham and, being good friends, the races were played out in the best spirit.

At the prize-giving, Megan, who this year became Frensham’s rear-commodore, thanked all who had taken part and all who had organised the series and helped disabled helms by launching and recovering the competing boats. Race officer Dan Shaw directed starts and finishes from the water.

Final results: 1st, Megan Pascoe (Frensham SC); 2nd, Bruce Hill (Frensham SC); 3rd, John Brooker (Frensham SC); 4th, Simon Hill (Frensham SC); 5th, John Currell; 6th, Neville Millard (Frensham SC); 7th, Kate Hedley (Frensham).