SWS-II Race 19 3^rd September by our “serious reporter”

First of all dear readers and followers of this intriguing yacht racing bonanza that has been the talk of Torbay and beyond, we must apologise for the wording of this report, as time has not allowed us to translate the verbatim item submitted by homing pigeon to our offices high up off Ranscombe Road in the cloud shrouded mountains of upper Brixham. Due to pressures of time and having to sail a boat, we have Simply appended below the report as received from our oldest and croniest reporter who joined a host of others on Battery Point to witness the remarkable events of this penultimate race of the SWS-II world series:-

Verily a host of bodies was assembled at the small white temple of starting on Battery Point at the appointed earlier hour on the eve of September 3^rd. Twas noted that their numbers were swelled with skilled furniture purveyors from the house of Campion, gathered to the land with stories of great woe regarding failures of their host to keep their normal sturdy craft whole complete with spars and rig. Rikki the Roh strode with authority through this host commanding banners to be hoisted and warning shots fired to surprise the awaiting boats swirling about her chosen start lines. A sage called Dudley spoke thus “ truly ye fine balance must be struck wherein the assembled Sn....ties gathered hereunder must finish in true penultimate order for the final reckoning of the 10^th to be a race worthy of such champion sports personages”. “Hath seen anything liketh unto this close ” quoth the sage as he unrolled a scrap of water stained velum upon which strange time markings were writ together with many scratchings showing points or placings. Twas explained in Simple words that the events to date had auspiciously arranged themselves such that the expected leader St Tom in his blue of midnight coloured craft must be beat by Simple means, and the musical Piano team beat all comers, for a final tournament on the 10^th to be meaningful.

Ye fine balance of the affairs of Sn...ties was upset for all but the musicians, who presented 4 regular and experienced knaves to crew their craft. St Tom was leading his son and grandson, plus a “ringer” from the house of Campion, into the battle for honours, whilst the Birdman Simply struggled with only 2 faithful retainers in the heavy weather conditions. The mystery 4^th Sn...tie with Pippin power in only his 2^nd real race made up some balance of symmetry by providing an even number of challengers.

From the start the musicians led the way uncongested right under the gaze of the assembled multitudes on Battery Point. Meanwhile the BB and SA crews jousted for position and favour in the swirling wastelands of the Green mark. The Birdman Simply sailed around the stern of the larger cumbersome Corinthian host, and tacked onto port at the gun to take an early lead, closely followed by St Tom and his scratch crew. The 4 piano players were able to weight their advantage in the strong tempest and keep ye fine balance to lead at the windward mark, but SA bravely called a steerboard advantage on the monster Corinthian “Ragdoll”, to maintain a lead over St Tom as they all careered downwind to “D” mark. Ye balance now favoured the Birdman, for with nought but 3 souls and a sinister black spinnaker borrowed from the leader, SA disappeared from St Toms close view. Twas even thus as the eve wore on, daylight faded and winds gently subsided to zephyrs when guns were heard for shortening the event. Vellum was once again produced and marked with ye results, showing AP and the musicians in 1^st place, SA Simply taking 2^nd and St Tom with “Blues” in 3^rd. Ye mystery Pippin the symmetry maker failed to speed sufficiently, and chose honourable retirement rather than be declared a dullard and slow knave unfit to grace the taking of his time, together with the mighty Trichord and the worthy yellow Valhallah.

Truly then the portents have been set for a most intriguing and thrilling finale to SWS-II on the auspicious occasion of the 10^th September in the year of out Lord 2009. Ye sages and crones have declared a veritable host of interest and have predicted many local tribes to be gathered to witness and participate in the final water borne tournament, on that day. Verily such an exciting finale has not been expected for many a long year on the broad waters of Torbay, and the Fishers and Bondsmen of Brixham YC wait in trepidation and anticipation at the junketing, celebrations and commiserations to come on the eve of the 10^th!