WALTON and Frinton Yacht Club held the second race in their Spring Series.

It took place in beautiful summer conditions, with a perfect breeze of between eight and ten knots, and there was an impressive victory for Dom Jacobs.

Nine dinghies sailed out to the start line, which race officer Alec Moss had set at Hedge End buoy.

The fleet got away cleanly and Martin Jenkins, in his Phantom, had the best start, getting the better of Jacobs, in his Laser, and John Sewell, in his Solo.

Jenkins was first round the windward mark, while Glen Bacon, in his TOY, had moved up through the fleet and was swapping tacks with Jacobs as they rounded about a minute back.

With a reach up and down the Twizzle, then a run back down river to Boom buoy, the Phantom had a chance to gain some distance from the chasing pack.

However, Jacobs' Laser was going very well and kept the faster TOY at bay.

Sue Wood was enjoying her first race of the season, in her Laser 4.7, and was well placed a few minutes back from the full-rig Lasers.

With half the race gone, the Phantom had put enough time between itself and the fleet to save handicap.

However, on the last run back down river, the breeze filled from behind, bringing the chasing boats closer.

Jenkins rounded the bottom mark for the last time and headed back to Spit on a good testing beat.

However, he seemed to be concentrating more about recovering the handicap time and not enough about the course.

From Spit, the Phantom continued up river to the finish line at the club to look back in the distance to see the rest of the fleet heading back down the Twizzle before the final beat back to the finish.

Having no option but to retire from the race, Jenkins was able to watch from the shore as Jacobs sailed his Laser superbly to lead Bacon's TOY across the finish line and go on to win on corrected time from Sewell, in his Solo, who sailed another good race.

Bacon took third place.

Wood did excellently in her Laser 4.7 to take fourth place ahead of the other Lasers, Phantom and Bosun.

The next race in the series is on Easter Sunday, with a 1.30pm start.

There is also an Easter Series, with the first race at 1pm on Saturday.