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Great Britain, British Airways 2000

Report and results courtesy Greg Casey.

An OK fleet of 21 boats arrived at British Airways with glorious sunshine and a light and fickle breeze. Nick Craig made the best of a challenging start in race 1 to lead to the finish. Dave Carroll and Hedley Fletcher fought it out for second place, this was until the pair was becalmed whilst Will Turner sailed straight round them in a localised force 3 gust to finish second. Carroll ended up third and Fletcher fourth.

The second of three races started after a gorgeous lunch in a very light force 1 with Alan Atkin making the most of the 90 degree shifts. With the light conditions places changed regularly and Craig and Mike Edwards enjoying a slight advantage over the rest of the chasing pack. They were so intent on beating each other that they failed to notice Carroll steaming up on a gust probably originating from the tail pipe of flight BA120. Craig still managed to squeeze round the buoy in the lead (with a little help from that sponging technique). All three battled it out up the last beat with the result finishing Craig, Edwards, Carroll all within a couple of seconds.

Craig had already sealed first place but second was wide open with Carroll on 2 thirds and Edwards and Turner both having a second. At first mark it was Fletcher followed by Atkin then Edwards, Carroll and Turner all very close. Many place changes occurred in race 3 with Atkin again being becalmed and left to the chasing pack. This time it was Craig's turn to benefit from the changing wind and came back at Carroll Edwards and Turner who were slowing each other down offwind. The next beat was the desider with Carroll being spat out the back and Craig coming though to second. Fletcher was then becalmed up the last beat to the vast amusement of Craig who laughed his way to a third win. Edwards second, Fletcher third, Turner fourth and Carroll discarded a fifth.