I should probably add, in case the tone of my last post comes over as too, well, crowing: it doesn't normally work out like this.
Of the seven other sailors and six other boats we raced against this afternoon, most (albeit not all) beat me more often than I beat them. And fairly so, as they've all been doing this a lot longer than me, though I can't say I'm exactly new to this any more.
Thinking about it, a good few of them were actually directly involved in teaching me to sail when I first joined the club at Frampton, a little over ten years ago.
Which of course makes today's win all the sweeter.
As does the fact that it was the first race of the season. As does the fact that it was Buffy's maiden race after her relaunch following these past and very long six weeks of shore-bound maintenance.
But it was the weather that beat everybody today and gave us the win. It's exactly the sort of blow that Ben and I have the weight and stamina to take in our stride, the sort of blow that knocks a good few others flat.
The conditions faded for the second race, and although we beat her to the windward mark, and although we kept touch and threatened her for the rest of the race, Geoff's experience, wit and guile won out in the lighter airs and our sister Enterprise "Ghost" beat us back into second place once again.
It was still a grand day's sailing. Bloody brilliant to be back afloat again.
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