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Osprey Nigerian Nationals at Lagos Yacht Club
Author: Phil Rayner
Hot on the heels of a successful GP Fourteen Nationals, Lagos Yacht Club followed up a week later on November 17th with an equally successful Osprey Championship, sponsored by P & O Nedlloyd. The format for this event, as in the previous year, was for fifteen teams to share nine boats, each team sailing three races out of the five scheduled with the Osprey owners sailing their own boats and the guests from the other fleets rotating amongst the others available.
The day dawned extremely gloomy, with zero wind causing a one-hour delay. However the sea breeze suddenly kicked in, building to a pleasant force three, which allowed the full race schedule to take place. The first race had the least wind and allowed Stewart Jones (1191) with Jo Rhodes to win at a canter from Mike Barnes and Gene Luzietti, who had had the extreme good fortune to draw 1279, the newest boat in the fleet, for their three races. Third was the ladies’ pairing of Gusti Merzeder and Ingrid Noori in 1210.
Race two saw the first start for hot favourite and defending champions Peter and Margaret Barraclough in 1208. Also starting for the first time were Richard Willmott and Mark Martyn-Fisher who caused an upset by beating the Barracloughs in a photo finish after they had dropped their spinnaker at the wing mark rather than gybing. Merzeder was third for a second time.
The third race saw a win for Barnes, with a superb second for Fleet Captain Judith Riessner with Al Bollinger in 1190. Charging up from behind after a poor start was Jones, who did not quite manage to retrieve the lost ground. Merzeder finished her programme with a fourth after a start line incident with Barnes, losing the ensuing protest.
Race four saw high drama, with a massive scramble for the Port end of the line. Barraclough had to re-round and found himself flat last. Carrying on on Port, he then found himself confronted by a large bulk carrier on its way out of Lagos harbour. The other boats having gone down tide on starboard, he was able to nip round the stern of the ship and emerge at the windward mark in the lead. Barnes finished his schedule with a second, whilst Willmott continued his way with third. Hobie sailors Niall Wallace and Pauline Feeman had a good fourth in this one.
So to the last race, with Barraclough having to win to take the championship from Barnes. In the end, he had it much his own way, with both Jones and Willmott having ‘spinnaker under the boat’ incidents. This allowed Phil Rayner and Martine Keat now also in 1279 to take second followed by another good result for Wallace. Don Third, with Sally Jones had a second fourth.
Thus Barraclough carried off his win by a single point followed by Barnes then Willmott, reversing their second and third places from the previous week. As before, a superb event, blessed by ultimately perfect conditions and very generous sponsorship from P & O Nedlloyd, who were very happy to pledge their continuing support for the future.
Overall Results:
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