Hugh makes it look easy in first races of Autumn season at Hastings & St. Leonards Sailing Club

Hugh Ashford was the only sailor in the Laser Fleet to use a Standard sail; other sailors opted for the smaller Radial sail.

Despite the wind strength, Ashford comfortably managed the extra power of the larger sail. He led from the start and won both races.

Behind him, the competition was closer with different sailors taking the advantage at different times. Second and third went to the Sandford brothers, with older brother Roy, edging out younger brother Paul. The brothers are in their 70s, proving to the more junior sailors behind them that technique and experience can win the day.

In the second race it was Melanie Clark and Mat Windley who took second and third respectively.

In the General Handicap Fleet, Philip Blurton, sailing with Zak Burgess in a Buzz, won both their races. Second went to Conor Byrne and J Lancaster (Vision) in the first race and to Juan Ces (Buzz) in the second.

Two Dart 16s raced in the catamaran fleet where Maurice and Janey Nash won both races ahead of Sergio Velluti and Trevor Beale.

In the final race of the day, boats of all classes raced against each other. The wind had now backed and was gusty and flukey. Boats began to capsize in sudden wind shifts.

Ashford (Laser) again showed his consistency with a straight-forward win while boats behind floundered in the more challenging conditions. Blurton and Burgess (Buzz) looked like they were going to pressure Ashford but a capsize with their spinnaker up left them towards the back of the fleet.

Second in the end went to Windley (Laser Radial) and third to Velluti and Beale (Dart 16).