HAVING dominated the 2006 keelboat races in the Helford River, Tony Statham's Jacobi has won the first race in 2007.

Four boats took part in the first race in the Spring Wednesday Pursuit Series April 11, in a gentle north/east breeze. It was good to welcome a new competitor, Stuart Sawyer in his 24 foot RS Elite, named Origo.

With the race due to finish at 1945, Jetta was in the lead at the mark off Trebah beach at 1941, and so the race then continued out to the Dennis mark, near the mouth of Gillan Creek. Jacobi struggled to pass Big Purple after rounding the mark at Trebah, a couple of minutes after Jetta, but eventually passed Garth Weaver's Big Purple on the beat out of the River.

Jacobi overhauled Jetta a couple of 100 metres before the finish to win the race, with Big Purple and Origo finishing close behind Jetta. After 90 minutes of racing all four boats finished within a minute of each other, which kept all the competitors on their toes right up to the end.

1, Jacobi, (Tony Statham); 2, Jetta, (John Jane); 3, Big Purple, (Garth Weaver); 4, Origo, (Stuart Sawyer).