Tamworth sailor Kevin Overton overcame a mid-race miss-hap to take the honours in the latest heat of the Head of the River.
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Continuing to make the most of the enlarged waters of Lake Keepit, 11 boats and their eager crews hit the water on Sunday for the alternate fourth heat of the series.
Race secretary Tim Corben reported that rather than commencing with a lap of the small triangular course then heading up stream to pass the Sport and Recreation facility and around a bouy before returning to the club as they would in normal conditions, Sunday's course saw sailors complete three laps of a large triangular course, where they were comfortable there was no hidden trees or shallow water and there was enough depth for all craft.
Commodore Keith Garrett, set the fleet of four laser dinghies, six catamarans (cats) off from on board his own trailer-yacht, "Slippery".
Tamworth's Doug Whiteman made the most of a strengthening north-westerly wind to lead the fleet around the first mark in his Nacra 5.0 cat. He was closely followed by Dave Aylwin from Manila, in a Marie cat and visiting sailor, Drew Green from Ballina, also sailing a Marie cat.
Breeza farmer, Mick Bradfield, then lead the quartet of laser dinghies on the two long reaches back to the start buoy.
The final two laps saw some exciting racing. Overton was challenging for the lead of the mono-hulls when he expertly tipped his laser into the water at the windward mark during a fierce gust of wind and conceded several race placings.
He then set off on a mission and determinedly clawed his way back to catch Bradfield and take the lead.
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Loma Ford and her crew in her beautifully painted Hartley 16, was also sailing stoically along and pushing for a win on handicap.
Overton was on corrected time awarded the win ahead of Corben, Bradfield, Rob Cull and Belinda, and Ford.
Corben said it was an excellent end to the day of sailing.
"All sailors were mindful to keep adequate distances between themselves and other sailors, and had fun in the morning with three short races over a little course," he said.
He said the club will endeavour to hold several morning races this Sunday but will revert to sailing one person per boat, and after lunch have a longer race.
"The calendar indicated Women on the Water but with infections increasing no more than one person per boat will be allowed," he said.
