Axe Yacht Club harbour Race win for Amanada Parker

Axe Yacht Club staged their annual harbour race and the event drew a large field of sailors.

Amongst the fleet were some of club’s junior cadet sailors as well as national champion level helmsmen and all raced were racing between two buoys, one by the river mouth and the other by the Axmouth Bridge.

All competitors were tested by the multiple challenges of a light and variable wind, a strong inward tidal flow, fishing lines and crab lines from the quayside, and the additional obstacles of fishing boats, kayaks and large cruisers manoeuvring in the yacht basin.

This provided potential for possible head-on collisions so careful tacking and gybing and courteous seamanship was required to avoid any disasters. In previous years the Harbour race has had much drama with capsizes and unplanned journeys under the bridge, but not this year so spectators could enjoy the colourful spectacle and multiple place changes in the glorious afternoon sunshine.

The race was led for most of the way by Mike and Jane Calvert in their wooden Axe One Design number 22, but although they crossed the finish line first they were beaten on handicap by Amanda Parker in her Topaz, Bryan Davis also in an Axe One Design was a worthy third.

Racing the harbour mouth only takes place once a year, but the dinghies from Axe Yacht Club regularly race on the river Axe and out at sea. The next river race is this Friday (August 14) at 6:45pm and spectators are always welcome.