For the second year running the weather had a significant effect on Henri-Lloyd Falmouth Week's final day's racing - the Marks and Spencer Champagne Day, writes Henry Roberts.

Strong gusting winds, and a situation of wind over tide, together with two major commercial shipping movements, meant that first the dinghies, and then the traditional fleet were cancelled.

However, the classes that had been racing all week in Falmouth Bay were well used to the strong northerly breeze that at times was gusting up to 30 knots, and the two IRC classes, the J24s and the larger Portsmouth Yardstick class, were sent on a 27 mile pursuit race with a series of windward/leeward courses taking between 3 and 4 hours.

The multihulls, sport boats, smaller PY class and Marieholms were set on a shorter regatta course, finishing off Pendennis Point.

Over 40 boats braved the conditions, and although a few retired, mainly with gear failure, the majority persevered in conditions that sorted the men from the boys. Everyone who braved the conditions that prevailed thoroughly deserved the champagne that was the main prize.

Not unsurprisingly the larger, heavily crewed, yachts did best, with Clan (Greg Peck) claiming line honours overall and winning class "A", followed by Jacobi (Tony Statham), but credit must go to the first two finishers in class "Q".

The two Projections - Miss Piggy (Tim and David Cunliffe) and Pink Gin (Peter Knight) - had a much harder time, but stayed the course while others fell by the wayside, coming in third and fourth overall, and taking the prizes for their class.

Credit must also be given to the three Laser SB3 Sport boats in class "D". More like large dinghies, and the only open boats out in the bay, they battled for three hours without capsizing, and thoroughly deserved their champagne.

The marginal conditions that prevailed on safety boat crews were kept on their toes for the whole race. Throughout the week these crews have been standing by to aid any crews with problems. Thankfully, only one incident involving injuries occurred. On Wednesday, a crew member was stunned by a spinnaker boom coming free, but the safety boat team, which included a paramedic, intervened, and the injured man was transferred to a waiting ambulance, and checked out at Treliske Hospital.

Thankfully there was no lasting damage to the crewman. All credit to Terry Wilkes and his team for their excellent work over the week.

The Henri-Lloyd Falmouth Week committee expressed their thanks to Marks and Spencer plc, and their Falmouth store manager, Eileen Stephens, for donating the champagne prizes.

CHAMPAGNE RESULTS - FALMOUTH TOWN REGATTA

Bay fleet - Class M Multihulls: 1, Tickled Pink (H Parker); 2, Alderney Race (Colin Gladwell).

Class IRC Pursuit: 1, The Clan (Greg Peck/John Nesbitt); 2, Jacobi (Tony Statham); 3, Miss Piggy (Tim and David Cunliffe).

Class PY Pursuit: 1, Manitou (Roger Spragg); 2, Noon HI (Jack Penty).

Class K Marieholms: 1, Mathile (M Davis); 2, Pele (Len Careless).

Class D Sports boats: 1, Cardinal Puff (Richard Beauman); 2, Laser SB3 (John Howard); 3, Spring Bank (C Beddoes).

Class U Pursuits: 1, Blue Eye (Andrew Geddes-Brown); 2, Juma (Peter Azancot); 3, Jemaloa (Alan Muirhead).

Class T Twisters: did not race.

Class A IRC Pursuit Race: 1, The Clan (Greg Peck/John Nesbitt); 2, Jacobi (Tony Statham); 3, White Cloud IX (J and A Donnelly).

Class Q IRC Pursuit Race: 1, Miss Piggy (Tim and David Cunliffe); 2, Pink Gin (Peter Knight); 3, Shenanigan (Con Mulcahy).