THE first race of the new season at Fidlers Ferry Sailing Club saw five boats compete for the President’s Tankard.

A gentle tide and unpredictable winds ensured it was an interesting start to the new campaign, but the Falcon-class Stone Hawk of Dave Irving was able to take victory in the six-mile race.

Another Falcon-class vessel, Richard Corner’s Honeybuzzard, had led for half of the four-lap event but had to settle for second, while Phil Wishart came home third in his Wayfarers-class boat Hummingbirds.