Boxing Day was wet and cold for most mortals, but at Dittisham Sailing Club it never seems to rain during racing.

No less than 14 optimistic sailors turned out on this assumption and were rewarded with that other great mystery of British outdoor life which is: why, when the forecast is for 15 knots of breeze from the South West, is there only the lightest of zephyrs from the opposite direction?

Chris Taylor, the race officer, clearly under orders to be home swiftly, threatened to start the race on time whatever the conditions, as the tide was starting to ebb.

Keeping his word, any spectators would have seen the amazing sight of the whole fleet becalmed on the start line for the first 10 minutes of the race, then for a while all of them slowly creeping forward and then actually sailing backwards.

After about 20 minutes of this agony the forecast wind blew up and the fleet was away.

By this time the course was a series of fetches and runs and the slower boats were well ahead on handicap even though nobody had sailed more than 50 yards.

Spotting the wind shift early, Roger Mor­ley hoisted his new, asymmetric, black sail and attacked the windward mark with great enthusiasm but not enough prudence and ended up with mark and boat locked in a pas de deux.

Meanwhile Sam Mogridge in his Laser showed his usual skill to disappear into the distance, taking line honours and winning for the third year in succession. Second was Johnny Moulsdale in a Solo and third Dennis Caw­ley in another Solo.