The rain held off on Saturday for a busy afternoon of sailing for the Club Marine Short Ocean Pointscore and Short Haul Pointscore fleets.

For the third last race of the Short Ocean series, David Davies’ BH 36 Local Hero pulled off a win in the fleet of eight on PHS and IRC Overall in east north-easterly conditions ranging from 15-18 knots with a two-metre swell.

“It was a tough day with a very confused seaway, but our crew handled the boat perfectly throughout the race,” Davies said. “It is great fun racing in a very competitive but fair and courteous fleet.”

Kym Evans’ Seaquest RP36 Whistling Kite placed second on PHS followed by Matt Wilkinson’s Farr 30 Foreign Affair in third.

“The downwind legs were very rolly and you had to carefully pick your time to gybe,” Wilkinson said. “I really felt for my poor old bowman juggling the pole and keeping his balance up forward.

“We had a close battle with Local Hero and Whistling Kite and whilst we managed to beat them over the line it wasn’t by enough to win [on PHS and IRC].”

With just two races to go “the pointscore is still very close”. Whistling Kite holds a one-point lead Overall on PHS over Local Hero.

Meanwhile, in the Club Marine Short Haul Pointscore, Geoff Player’s Beneteau Sense 50 Silver Minx placed first on PHS Overall, followed by Michael Selby’s X412 Cyrene 3 in second place and Rod Will’s X-43 Great Xpectations in third. Cyrene 3 holds the leads on PHS Overall after 10 races.

The last race of the Club Marine Short Ocean Pointscore is schedule for April 5.