DAVID Hale led his Rant 'n' Rave crew to victory in the R19 worlds race at Poole.

With a wind forecast of northwesterly four to five becoming southwesterly three, it was always going to be an interesting day of racing.

As the clouds bubbled up, the winds started shifting up to 30 degrees and fluctuating in strength.

The Olympic triangle-style courses were laid in the balls lake area of the harbour, opposite Poole YC.

Hale, in Rant 'n' Rave, was first to the windward mark in race one.

Following were Mark Taylor in Rapid Reflex, Steve Davis in Reggai Mon and Martin Lewis in Rolo, who all sailed through the leader as the wind went aft, turning what should have been a reach into a dead run.

The top three positions changed throughout the race and eventually Davis crossed the finish line first, only to find out he had been black flagged at the start, giving Rapid Reflex first place.

Rapid Reflex rounded the first mark in the lead in race two, managing to fend off the competition throughout the race to take another win.

A massive wind shift caught out many of the rest of the fleet resulting in changes of up to 10 places during the second beat.

Henio Furley in Ragtime led from the start in race three but was outmanoeuvred by Hale at the last gybe mark who went on to take first.

Race four started promptly after a short break catching out a few competitors who took too long downing their lunchtime beverages.

The race was stopped early after the first sausage as the wind went light giving Reggai Mon an easy win.

That meant the championship came down to the last race with Rapid Reflex and Rant 'n' Rave both on equal points.

Ragtime led all the way, even managing to hold his lead when caught up in a fierce tacking duel on the second beat with the first place contenders.

Rant 'n' Rave crewed by Paul Catchpole and Glen Courage managed to finish in second place, ahead of Rapid Reflex which was enough for the Hale team to win the trophy from the last year's defending champions on Rapid Reflex.

The eight-race Lymington Town Sailing Club Solent Circuit for keelboats, the oldest winter series in the Solent having started in the 70s, starts on Sunday October 10.

New features in this year's event include a new class and separate start for non-spinnaker cruisers, which want to try racing without being intimidated by the more experienced teams, two windward leeward courses a day for sports boats, a five minute starting sequence and weekly prizegivings as well as the overall prizegiving at the end of the series.

Other starts will be for IRC, club handicap and Folkboats.

Traditional features include the excellent LTSC breakfast service and a special rate for visiting racers in the Lymington Yacht Haven.

The Notice of Race and entry forms can be found on the LTSC website www.ltsc.co.uk, click on Keelboats and Solent Circuit 2004.

For more information, contact Caroline Aubrey-Fletcher, Sailing Secretary, LTSC on 01590 674514 or email: caroline@ltsc.co.uk

The Poole Winter Series also starts on October 10 with racing for the larger IRC cruisers and J24s in Poole Bay.

Racing for PHHS cruisers and R19s will be from the Poole YC line.

This series, jointly run by the Poole and Parkstone clubs, includes a charity race which benefits the respective club's Commodore's Charities.

For berthing and other details contact Poole YC on 01202 672687 or Parkstone YC on 01202 743610.

Meanwhile, plans are already in hand for a huge Keelboat Regatta in 2006.

The Combined Club's committee met recently to approve plans for the event which, it is anticipated, will be the largest ever seen in local waters.