164 boats racing and over 60 races were laid on the water over the opening weekend (April 18-19) of the Brooks Macdonald Crewsaver Spring Championship and the Warsash Spring Series in England. Saturday saw 22 knots of wind that started in the NE and gradually swung to the SE and back again by the end of the day. Sunday had a generally steadier ENE breeze of 8-10 knots with gusts in the low teens and the occasional drop to 5 knots. The Black Flag had to be dusted off for Sunday’s races with the initial wind against tide pushing the normally conservative IRC4 fleet across the line; resulting in a general recall and the black flag to ensure they got away cleanly at the second attempt. The J/70s followed and similarly were recalled and got away at the second attempt, but four boats at the pin end did pick up a disqualification. By the start of the second race, the tide was beginning to turn and with it the starts improved as boats were being pushed down the line rather than across it. A drop to just 5 knots and the wind shifting around by 30 degrees at the end of the day led to some rather tight approaches to the leeward gate as boats misjudged the strength of the tide. In the White Championship Group, Ian Atkin’s J/70, BOATS.COM gained podium places across all the weekend’s races bar one. So far, Atkins’ team has accumulated just 16.5 points after seven races. Newcomer to the fleet Russell Peters is sailing fast, as he should being a former UK International 14 Champion. Peters’ comfort with the J/70 was such that he peeled off three straight bullets in his last three races. Just off the pace behind these two is Jamie Arnell’s LITTLE LOUISE with 41 points. As we head into the final April 26 of the Warsash Spring Series, the J/70 fleet of 24 boats is led by Arnell’s LITTLE LOUISE after 9 races with 30 points net. In a close second is Dave Mitchell’s JUMANJI 4 points back. A duel for third has two boats tied on 48 points net: Patrick Liardet’s COSMIC and David Mcleman’s OFFBEAT. For more Brooks MacDonald Warsash Spring Series sailing information, visit http://warsashspringseries.org.uk/2015/index.htm.