Portishead Yacht & Sailing Club had seven visitors and five dinghies in the Channel Chop Pursuit Race, which is part of the Sailing South West Winter Series, on March 12.

Altogether there 12 dinghies in strong gusty winds as the first three laps were sailed inshore in Kilkenney Bay, with the sailors having to round the Newcome channel buoy on the fourth and fifth laps.

Sutton Bingam SC's Chris Jones, in his RS Aero 7, sailed well to build up a substantial lead form Hannah Metcalf-Smith and Nick Smith and was able to maintain this lead to the end of the race.

North Somerset Times: Action from the Channel Chop Pursuit Race.Action from the Channel Chop Pursuit Race. (Image: Portishead Yacht & Sailing Club)

The Fireball of Chris and Jon Gill, from Portishead Yacht & Sailing Club, and the RS400 of Figs Cain and Barney Dearsley, from Starcorss YC, took advantage of stronger winds in the closing stages of the race to sail into second and third place.

The gusty conditions caught out a few of the sailors causing a couple of capsizes but everybody finished the race.

The first junior to come home was Portishead's Hannah Brooks in her 420.