"What weather, what hospitality and what fun!! You couldn't get better. The Natal Optimist Association hosted the first weekends racing of three making up their KZN Grand Prix series at PYC on Saturday & Sunday.

Ideal conditions made for exceptional quality racing. Perfectionist Rob Tarboton laid superb courses and the fleet of 16 Optimists and 9 Lasers made full use of them with very close finishes indeed. He got 4 races in on Saturday in light to moderate conditions. From the start it was clear that daggers were drawn between Rudy McNeill and Aaron Larkens in Optimists and supremos Andrew Tarboton and Daniel Larkens in the Laser Class. Like duels were being fought at all levels down the Optimist fleet with Michael Bissett, Vicenzo De Gennaro and Lamar Bonhomme going head to head for third position eventually finishing in that order behind Aaron Larkens and second placed Rudy McNeill. One, two, three in the Lasers went to Andrew Tarboton, Daniel Larkens and James Hogg respectively. Sundays conditions were just as good and the sailing instructions were quickly amended to take advantage of the freshening breeze to fit in an extra race for the Optimist fleet. Race 6 unfortunately had be abandoned because of shipping but not before Sam Hancock of HMYC put the cat amongst the pigeons by leading most of the way. Rescue officers Allan Bissett, Laurence Hancock, Trevor Gibb and Lloyd McNeill were on hand to see to those taking a swim as the wind got up including a nameless Laser!

On Saturday afternoon the Grand Prix Lasers were joined by their PYC senior counterparts who all had some exciting sailing in the freshening breeze. It was great to see the juniors holding their own in this competitive fleet. It will be exciting to see a revival of the junior Laser Class in KZN and some of the top Oppie skippers ageing out into this bunch.

Thanks to the Galley team for laying it all so well and an especially good calamari evening. Also, on Saturday PYC Juniors (Jenny Larkens) held a well attended Bingo evening in aid of Natal Optimist Association funds.

Results

By School:
1st Kearsney
2nd Marist
3rd Westville Boys High

Individual
1st Aaron Larkens 8 Points
2nd Rudi Mcneil 9
3rd Micheal Bissett 23