The Southampton Hasler, July

The weather over the last couple of weeks has been as near perfect as can be, and Sunday's proved no exception with temperatures at Soton nudging 30C in the car park near the Cobden bridge. A few well placed trees provided some relief from full-on sunshine as we neared the start time for the lesser mortals of the 7-8-9 groups. 

The Itchin river is tidal at this point and was approaching high tide for the start of the race. There was also a freshening wind beginning to pick up and crossing the course at an oblique angle down the main straight of the course so it was with a little trepidation that this wouldn't be a repeat of the very blustery conditions I experienced last month at Wokingham on the Thames. 

The start was well managed and at the off I was at the rear of the others but still in touch with the main body as we passed under the Cobden bridge and a couple of hundred yards later a second railway bridge and into the main straight to the first turn. The wind was at cross purposes to the lay of the course and was causing a bit of chop on top of the slight swells that marked the end of the incoming tide. I had decided to use the low seat in the boat to maximise stability and was  glad I had done so when I passed another club member from an earlier start being assisted by the safety boat after taking an early bath in the middle of the straight.

The return up the course was easier with the wind from more or less behind. Back up the straight I was getting into something of a rhythm and gradually overhauled two of the back markers. We then ran into the youngsters doing the short course Lightning event and I went wide under the far right hand arch of the bridge losing one of the hard earned places that I'd just gained as he cut through the middle of the Lightnings. Further on he was obviously tiring and I overtook him again as we approached a rapidly narrowing, 'S' shaped channel to the second turn buoy. The wind was tugging at the buoy to such an extent that it had been pulled almost onto the shore, leaving only about the width of a kayak and its paddles to get around. Coming back into the wind was a steady push right back under Cobden bridge again and up to the buoy between the two bridges to do the last turn, crosswind. 

I thanked my lucky stars again as I negotiated the last turn that I'd chosen the low seat because turning crosswind with the tide coming side on was somewhat hair-raising. But, once around it was a short run back up to the start/finish line. This time I found it and passed it on the right side, making this my second Hasler and first finish.