ISO Gala - Rutland Water SC (17th & 18th April 1999)
The ISO fleet arrived at Rutland SC for the second Gul sponsored Gala event of the year, held on April 17-18. Winds were light and variable over the water on Saturday, the race officer setting a straight up and down windward leeward course with no downwind gate.
Dave Giles and Richard Chadburn took an early lead in the first race, and though chased home by Gary Smith and Lynn Whitmore, they did not look as if they could be caught. In the second race normal service was resumed, with Mike Speller and Rob Burridge hitting the front off the start line. Smith and Whitmore again went well to claim another second, with Giles and Chadburn back in fourth place.
The third race and the wind finally made an appearance. With the short course from the previous race, the leeward mark rounding was a bit frantic to say the least, yet once this was out of the way Speller and Burridge hit the front and won the race. John Caig and Andy Watson, fresh from wintering in warmer climes, finally remembered where the throttle was and came home second.
Sunday morning and a glassy look to the water. Out went the fleet, though, and the wind did fill in sufficiently for the race to start. However, once round the windward mark, it was very difficult for the competitors to keep their boats moving in the fast dissappearing patchy wind. Giles and Chadburn kept going the best and although nearly overtaken on the runn by Team RWO, held on to take another first and a well deserved overall win, fulfilling such promise over the last season.
