Duo find it plain sailing in double victory (From Penarth Times)

Duo find it plain sailing in double victory

PENARTH sailors Jeff Dyer and Simon Cook are celebrating after winning the UK Enterprise Inland National Championships.

The event, held over two days at Rutland Water in Leicestershire, attracted 67 entries.

Jeff and Simon set the standard for the rest of the fleet by winning both races on Saturday. And this was despite having to fit a new spar just minutes before the start of the racing, having damaged it at the previous weekend's Severnside Area Championships in Bristol.

On the Sunday the sun rose over a still stretch of water. A postponement to the start of racing meant the competitors had plenty of time to dust off any cobwebs, and the race officer finally sent the fleet out for the start of the third race. There was still everything to play for as four competing boats still had scores in the single figures.

The light and fickle conditions meant things were a little trickier, but Jeff and Simon managed to keep a fingerhold on the trophy with a solid third place.

A decent result in the next race would clinch the championship for the Penarth Yacht Club pairing - and they sailed a little more conservatively in the shifty conditions to gain a fifth place and the Inland title.

Jeff and Simon did not have to sail the final race, but with an eye on the "full" National Championships to be held in Tenby in August, they started the final race for practice.

With the pressure off, they scored a good second place, enabling them to discard the earlier fifth.