Well with Tom away on the seniors European cruise apparently it falls to me to let you have a note of the comings and goings on the racecourse on Thursday.

apiano played their joker right from the start with Mike on the helm as they left  the mooring. What were they thinking of?onlookers did not know whether to laugh or cry as Mike fended of the looming bowsprit of Felicitas with his bare hands.

Simply Alto made her own way to the start but in the light winds both apiano and bluesbreaker hitched rides in order to conserve fuel.

In a tiny whisper of breeze the glorious Sonata fleet made a faultless start; separated on the line to the extent that no foul language was exchanged between helms as they jockeyed for position. BB marginally in front at this stage and Mike still alarmingly at the helm of apiano (what madness).

Little did the crews know it but the race was nearly over. What little wind there was died away and all that time spent washing and pressing their immaculate sailing apparel-which makes them the envy of other fleets in the bay-was wasted. Any lead which BB had built up was lost as she was swept down tide. apiano still with Mike on the helm! (does the man indeed have talent despite all the evidence to the contrary) crept into a lead of several metres simply alto was back in there as well. Half the BB team were banished to languish below decks to save on windage and watch the ship's television but to no avail. No one was going anywhere. Just when they thought it was all over ---it was. Race abandoned

Simon Barnes

international sportswriter