ON SUNDAY August 25, a record entry of 276 boats in 16 different classes started racing in Poole Week 2002.

Organised by Parkstone Yacht Club, this popular annual family sailing week runs racing largely within Poole Harbour and attracted entries from 32 clubs around the country.

As in previous years, the largest single fleet was the International Enterprise Class with 41 entries, with the Lasers attracting 38 in the main fleet with another seven Laser 4.7 entries being sailed in a Youth Class.

The XOD keelboat class had a strong showing with 25 boats, and two relatively new classes to Poole Week, the Flying Fifteen and RS400 classes, were also well represented, with 25 and 23 boats respectively.

The recent introduction of the Shrimper class saw their fleet grow to seven boats this year.

Throughout the week, the predominantly northerly winds with the sea breeze trying to dominate the gradient wind, gave several problems to Bruce Gridley, the Principal Race Officer, as there were frequent windshifts and lulls.

The week's racing started in a shifty and variable wind. There were inevitable delays as the PRO tried to set a fair line and get the 16 classes away on their courses around the harbour.

Competitors experienced a large number of wind shifts with major changes of position in many fleets.

On Sunday evening, competitors renewed old friendships and rivalries at the Commodore's reception, which was sponsored by Ellis Jones, Solicitors.

On Monday, the wind was still in the North, but stronger and less variable in direction, and the fleets enjoyed challenging racing in winds of up to Force 4.

By Tuesday, the breeze was much reduced, but still Northerly, and the fleets that remained in the harbour suffered great frustrations at times as the wind came and went, despite this it was noticeable that the same boats in each class were starting to master the exacting conditions.

The XOD fleet and the catamaran classes enjoyed better winds in their courses that included race marks in Poole Bay.

Luke Yeates and Mark Angell, two F18 catamaran sailors of the Volvo scheme won the special prize as being the first boat to round Jones the Butcher mark, in Studland Bay.

Wednesday saw a light Northerly wind, which was quickly overcome by the sea breeze that developed as the sun came out, this tested the ingenuity of the Race Officer and his team to the limit.

The classes that started earlier in the sequence experienced long periods of calms and shifty wind until the breeze set in but the later classes enjoyed very tactical sailing in a South Easterly 2-3.

By the end of Wednesday, several classes had been dominated by one particular boat with Richard and Kate Havill in the Enterprises and Peter and Julie Drake in the Dolphins having established unassailable positions, both pairs went on to win with straight firsts to count.

Four firsts were also recorded by Zoe Dunne in the Laser 4.7 class, Steve Tyler and Emma Jackson in the fast handicap and in the Fireballs, Ian Braham with Dave Turner as crew.

In the Xs, the final result for the Pascall Cup (overall winner) was only decided in the fifth and final race on Thursday between Alistair Evans sailing X40 Kyperini and the Flanders' family in X51 Athena, with Kyperini winning the week by the narrowest of margins, one point.

Parkstone's youth members were able to improve their skills during the week with the senior members of the Cadet Class helming 420s for the first time and Chris Bailey helming his father's Merlin and giving the adults a good race.

Other youth members crewed for adults in their classes, especially the Darts and were seen screaming past the box on the trapeze.

Friday saw the fleets compete in a fun day on the water with Crews swopping with their Helms, where those that had not won previously had the opportunity of winning prizes sponsored by Wadworth Brewery.

Shrimper results: (All Parkstone YC unless otherwise stated) 1st Colin Lord/J Turner/M Robinson 2nd Olly/Humphrey Dorrell, Royal Motor YC 3rd Micheal Stacey/Barry Coveney.

Laser 4.7: 1st Zoe Dunne 2nd Thomas Dunne 3rd Benjamin Pistol.

Fast handicap: 1st Steve Tyler/Emma Jackson 2nd Nick Scroggie/Clare Johnson 3rd John/Clare Warrington, Chipstead SC.

Slow handicap: 1st Louis Fitzsimmons/Josh Pistol 2nd Miles Blaver-Mann/Georgie Akin-Smith 3rd Rebecca Law.

Dolphin: 1st Peter/Julie Drake 2nd Barry/Pat/Derek Harris 3rd Mike/Alison Mackenzie.

420: 1st Lucy/Nicola Macgregor, Poole YC 2nd Emma Foster/Nerissa Booth, Poole YC 3rd James Goss/Daniel Schieber, Burghfield SC.

Albacore: 1st Trevor/Ann Smith, Maidenhead SC 2nd John/Anita Herbert 3rd Peter/Judy Fontes.

F18: 1st Steve/Denise Marriott 2nd Luke Yeates/Mark Angell 3rd Duncan Johnson/Lizi Pate.

Dart: 1st Peter Stacey/Lorna Phipps 2nd Mike Jeans/Susie Clayton 3rd Bryan Drake/Katrina Kennedy.

Flying 15: 1st Roger/Claire Wood, Notts County SC 2nd Andy Maskell/Anthony Osman 3rd Iain/Slade Lamey.

XOD: 1st Kim Slater/A Evans/P Chapman 2nd Mike Flanders 3rd Eric Williams, Royal Lymington YC. (XOD winner of the Lara Cup, awarded to the winner of Tuesday's race, was X40 Kyperini and the Sherry & Haycock Trophy for the crews' race on Friday was won by Karen Weston sailing X25 Morven).

Fireball: 1st Ian Braham/Dave Turner 2nd Andrew Clark/Chris Chris Brealy 3rd Malcolm Cross/Tony Everitt, Harlow Blackwater SC.

Enterprise: 1st Richard/Kate Havill 2nd Richard Edwards/Paru Dave 3rd Graham/Amy Davies.

Laser: 1st Alistair Keytel, Zeekoeries YC 2nd Roberta Hartley, Burghfield SC 3rd Donald Macdonald.

Wayfarer: 1st David Black/Terry Berrett 2nd Michael Jefferies/Lynaire Rea, Oxford SC 3rd Jackie/Chris Welch.

RS400: 1st Steve Middleton/Chris/Doris Rowlands, Burghfield SC 2nd Jonathon Ching/Claire Dalby, Wierwood SC 3rd Stewart/Roy Bowen.

A new fixture at Parkstone this season, introduced by Michael Flanders Class Captain of the XOD's, was a three-generations' race. This attracted nine entries, including the Williams and Paton families from the Lymington XOD Division who were lent yachts by Parkstone members.

Two races were sailed in light and fading winds, starting with the grandfathers, followed by the fathers. The grandchildren did not get to helm their race as the wind faded completely.

An early prize-giving and dinner back at the clubhouse saw the Flanders family winning with the visiting Williams family taking second place and Parkstone's Tombs' family finishing third.