Video replay keeps Barrington on top

There was confusion at the top here yesterday as Peter Ogden, in his Swan 60 Spirit of Jethou, was declared the winner of Class 1. Where was the man of the moment, the Irishman Colm Barrington?

There was confusion at the top here yesterday as Peter Ogden, in his Swan 60 Spirit of Jethou, was declared the winner of Class 1. Where was the man of the moment, the Irishman Colm Barrington?

His high-riding Gloves Off was missing entirely. Enter the video inspection team who, in clearing up the mystery, not only found that Barrington was fourth, but that the real winner was Russell Hodgson in Maverick II, an IMX 40. But Barrington still leads Class I overall after four races. No doubt in the Farr 40s, however, where Kevin Sproul took Wolf to its third win where the battle between the seven rivals in the new IRM handicap class is hotting up every day.

Enjoying yet another set of glorious racing conditions, the Australian America's Cup winner John Bertrand, steering the Reflex 38 T&G, pushed Monday's Class 2 winner, Stephen James' veteran Swan 48 Jacobite, into second place. In the smaller Class 5 the ding-dong between Peter Smith's Scorpion and Andy Hind's White Mischief, first and second yesterday, continued.

Both the first class of the day, the Etchells, and the last, the X One Design, had all to be called back as so many of them crowded early over the start.

The boys were, however, still eager after a delayed lunch and second start, and a clutch of them, including the former Captain's Cup winner Peter Baines, gave the inshore rocks a bang, bounced off, and headed hastily west along the Green to their turning mark. It was to good effect. Baines was third behind the current Captain's Cup holder Stuart Jardine, who had to give sway to William McNeill.

There was another bangbetween Alan Wardrop's Humphrey's One Design 35 Comedy of Errors and the bigger Farr 40.7, Blue Juice, owned by John Lewis and Julian Homertsone, Wardrop scurrying into harbour with a holed stern.

There was worse for a Redwing, Sir Michael Richardson's Red Gauntlet, formerly owned by Vernon Stratton, which sank on the Shrape, 50 yards from the finish. He and his crew, son-in-law and granddaughter, were picked up by Solent Rescue.Attempts were being made to lift the boat last night.

Today the forecast is for stiffer winds, perhaps about 20 knots, which should shake out any remaining cobwebs or give short shrift to any injudicious hangovers.