Perhaps it was because Sunday was the first day of Olympic sailing at Weymouth, perhaps it was the sun was shining and a good wind, perhaps it was because racing was in the afternoon.

Whatever the reason, a large fleet of over 20 dinghy sailors assembled at Dittisham Sailing Club to compete in the fourth and fifth races of the Mid Summer Points series in beautiful conditions. 

Using a committee boat, race officer Paul Honey got the fleet off to a clean start and almost immediately young Laser sailor Alex Johns led the fleet away to a mark off Gurrow Point.

He was followed closely by Barry Kenyon and Peter Symons, both in Lasers, and these three battled over the course which favoured the class with long off-wind legs.

There was plenty of action at the gybe mark and Laser sailor Patrick Bromley was unlucky to capsize and then had to retire. At the finish Alex Johns sailed well to win by some margin from Barry Kenyon, followed closely by Peter Symons. 

In the second race the fleet sailed the same course in slightly stronger winds. After a crowded start when several boats were caught out at the committee boat end, a battle ensued between Peter Symons and Martin Ely, both in Lasers.

Once again the gybe mark caught out the unwary and Richard Allen capsized his Solo but recovered to finish. Young Joshua O'Brien sailed well in his Laser Radial to finish second behind Peter Symons. 

The next racing at Dittisham will be on Sunday, August 5, starting at 10am.