WITH the clocks going forward for spring, the fact it was Mothers' Day and more than 20 knots in the gusts, there was a reduced fleet for race one in Walton and Frinton Yacht Club's Spring Series.

First out of the start line was Geoff Parker, in his Hadron, but Martin Jenkins was close behind and marginally to windward so able to work past him to take the lead.

Also going well from the start was Simon Hipkin, in his Hadron.

With a good long reach out to Boom buoy, Hipkin was able to keep pace with Jenkins' Phantom and closed to within a few boat lengths at the buoy.

With a fast reach back to Spit, the two leading boats were able to pull away from the rest of the fleet and had a good tussle as they headed off for a sequence of short legs in the Twizzle.

Jenkins was able to stretch away from Hipkin on the upwind leg and on rounding Spit for the last time he had increased his lead to more than a minute as the fleet headed back to the finish at the club line.

Jenkins finished with a lead of more than two minutes from Hipkin, which was enough to take the race by a margin of over a minute after handicaps had been applied.

John Sewell, in his Solo, sailed another good race and finished just 18 seconds behind Hipkin on handicap for third.

The next race is on Sunday, April 9.

Results: 1st Martin Jenkins, Phantom; 2nd Simon Hipkin, Hadron; 3rd John Sewell, Solo; 4th Geoff Parker, Hadron.