CLACTON Sailing Club finally got their Spring Series underway.

It followed several weeks of cancellations due to fog.

The first two races were sailed back to back, with a triangle course and inter-locking sausage.

At 11am sharp, the fleet got underway with catamarans and a mono hull hitting the startline, heading for the windward mark.

Brian Allan and Matt Burrell, in their Hurricane SX, were quick to take the lead, followed closely by Martin and Debbie Chivers, in their Dart 18.

Stafford Glover and Glen Burrows, in their Hurricane Sport, were also in hot pursuit.

First mark honours went to Team Chivers, with Glover and Burrows pipping Allen and Burrell.

The race was on and over the next two laps, Glover and Burrows pulled ahead, flying their giant third sail wherever possible.

With a mixed fleet, there was everything to play for as the boats had different handicap numbers.

Daniel Brzezinski, sailing his Dart 18 single-handed, took full advantage of the light and variable winds and managed to overtake Team Chivers and father-and-son team Robert and Toby Mitchell.

The latter pair, sailing their Dart 16, made good use of the change in tide to keep well within reach of a placing.

Husband-and-wife team Peter and Helen Lyall, in their Wanderer, made excellent progress and managed to make the most of an increasing breeze.

They managed to keep on the coattails of the much faster catamarans.

Glover and Burrows were the eventual winners, followed by Brzezinski and Team Mitchell.

With all the competitors still on the water, race two quickly got underway with Allen and Burrell keen to lead from the start, followed by the rest of the chasing fleet.

Glover and Burrows were having none of it, though.

Team Chivers worked hard to make sure they did not lose sight of the much faster Hurricanes, while being constantly pushed by Brzezinski.

Team Mitchell managed to stay well in contention, with Team Lyall snapping away at the end of the fleet.

After two much faster laps than the first race, with all the boats much closer together, it boiled down to handicap and the winners were Team Chivers.

Glover and Burrows were second and Team Mitchell third.

With two more races in the series, there is all is to play for with just a couple of points separating the top three.

The new club rescue boat was on station at all times, manned by Neil Warn and Derek Cheek.

Clacton sailors will compete for the coveted Butlins Trophy on Sunday.