THE husband-and-wife team of Martin and Debbie Chivers revelled in the conditions to win Clacton Sailing Club’s Jubilee Rose Bowl Trophy.

The duo rarely made a mistake in their catamaran to deservedly take the silverware overall.

Larry Foxen led the way to win the monohulls, with Mark Venables second.

The race took place under fabulous blue skies and fresh force four to five winds.

Although advertised as an open-class race, two distinct fleets have emerged as the season progresses – Dart 18 catamarans and Laser dinghies.

Race officer Charles Stacey set a fast course and the club’s rescue boat team of Neil Ward and Irina Vassiljeva set the windward buoy according to the prevailing SSW winds.

The risk of going over early at the start was exaggerated by a flooding tide and the boats appeared to cautiously hold back.

All the cats chose to take advantage of a slight port bias and headed close inshore in the smoother waters created by the new fishtail rock groins.

Pete Boxer and Eilish Dempsey just held off the Chivers in a pointing duel.

In contrast, the Laser fleet, led by Foxon, cleared the line on starboard tack and headed out to sea in anticipation of a beneficial lift from the tide.

Matt Burrell, sailing his Dart with James Stacey as crew, also tacked off early, hoping to take advantage of the tide.

This strategy risked approaching the windward buoy on port tack and having to give way to the starboard tack boats approaching from inshore.

In the event, Boxer and Dempsey edged around the buoy just ahead of the Chivers and the race was on, before the latter went on to claim top spot.

All the Lasers admitted to at least one capsize, with plucky Cathy Mitchell having to right her boat from a complete inversion when her Laser turned turtle out at sea.

She eventually had to retire but claimed nevertheless to have enjoyed the challenge.

Special mention also goes to Jack Dempsey as the youngest sailor afloat, trapezing as crew on Daniel Brezinski’s Dart catamaran.

He appeared fearless as he urged the skipper to drive the cat faster.

They were rewarded with fourth place overall.