KEN Potts enjoyed a comfortable victory when Gunfleet Sailing Club held their race for the Jubilee Cup.

This event is traditionally held on the Sunday nearest the Queen’s Coronation.

Fourteen boats took part in a fresh northerly wind and it was the three Lasers of Potts, John Tappenden and Paul Stanton that got the best start and continued to hold the top positions throughout much of the race.

Just behind this trio on the first leg, a beat up to the Kingscliff buoy, were Tom and Ed Philpot, in their 405, but it wasn’t long before Dave Fowell and Derroll Pedder had overhauled them in their GP 14.

Ploughing through the fleet was Harry Swinbourne, in his Laser, and by the second leg, a very broad reach to AWS, he was in front of Tappenden and Stanton and starting to put pressure on Potts.

Meanwhile, Yvonne Gough, having had to put a few tacks in at the start to avoid hitting the outer distance mark, found herself at a real disadvantage and retired.

Everyone successfully gybed at the AWS buoy before heading Seaward, undertaking a second gybe, and then heading up the coast to the St Michael’s buoy.

Doing particularly well at this point, in the Topaz fleet, was Eddie White, who had a commanding lead, but on the beat back to the line Steve Swinbourne pulled ahead of him.

It was at about this time that the wind veered north-easterly and strengthened.

After capsizing in their Topaz, Beth Elliott and Daisy Swinbourne retired to the shore after a surprisingly poor performance - only to discover the reason for this was that they had forgotten to put the bung in their boat.

Handling the conditions well were young cadets Thomas Aiken and Jude Aylen, also in a Topaz, who really threw themselves into the race.

The second lap saw Harry Swinbourne drop back but Potts proved unstoppable and continued to pull away from the rest of the competitors, taking a comfortable victory.

Results – Jubilee Cup: 1 Laser – Ken Potts, 2 Laser – John Tappenden, 3 Laser – Paul Stanton.

Meanwhile, Gunfleet’s SOS – Sailing On Saturday, specifically for those members under 18 years of age - had its annual Bring A Friend Day.

Forty youngsters took to the water, with the experienced cadets and otters showing those new to the sailing what fun and excitement can be had from the sport.