Sailing: Surprise win for Mike Butler and Steve Caldine at Hollingworth Lake

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Hollingworth Lake

The annual Founders Plate series, sailed in the lightest and most fickle winds, saw a surprising win for Mike Butler and Steve Caldine at Hollingworth Lake Sailing Club on Sunday.

The format was two handicap races, with the worst result discarded, followed by a counting pursuit race. This novel sequence, if the wind had any consistency, should have helped the faster boats.

After two races, it looked as if a visitor Ian Lees, in a Rooster 8.1, was master of the lake. However, he fell back to eight place in the Pursuit.

In the end, the surprise result was a win for Mike Butler and Steve Caladine in a GP14, who had won the second race and finished third in the Pursuit. Martin Brennan (Solo), with a third in the first race and second in the Pursuit was runner-up.

The faster boats suffered particularly in the Pursuit as the slower early starters enjoyed better wind. The Pursuit was led from the start to the finish by David Hughes sailing his Mirror.

Prizes were also awarded to the club's junior sailors in Toppers,  Daisy Fisher, Hector Droungas and Jasper Bramwell, who all managed the challenging winds well.