The year's last series of racing at Beccles began with several club members competing away in Norfolks at Frostbites SC.A gusty south-westerly bringing a wind-chill of minus-2 also resulted in a low turnout for the start of the seniors campaign - so the campaign for the Icicle Shield will commence next week.

The year's last series of racing at Beccles began with several club members competing away in Norfolks at Frostbites SC.

A gusty south-westerly bringing a wind-chill of minus-2 also resulted in a low turnout for the start of the seniors campaign - so the campaign for the Icicle Shield will commence next week.

However, with an ever-keen junior club fleet of Toppers and Optimists, the Goodwin Trophy is on course to be another nail-biter, and it started with two thrilling races.

In race one, Rob Gilchrist in a Topper had a great start, keeping Milo Phillips at bay on the first hard beat upriver against the ebbing Waveney. Phillips eventually got past in Windsinger and forged out ahead to cross the line first in exactly 20 minutes, although Hugh Braidwood took first on handicap with 25 seconds to spare.

In the second race and with the wind a steady force four, OOD Ron Haynes put in an extra round to the delight of the fleet. Phillips got away from the start in his Topper but a battle ensued between Bob Ashcroft and Rob Gilchrist for the second boat home.

Gilchrist left it to the last lap on the run down river to edge past and, after rounding the last buoy, managed to maintain his position on the hard beat back to the finish line, to come in a couple of boat lengths ahead.

Braidwood again put in formidable performance, doing enough to secure a second win on the day on handicap in his Oppie.

Goodwin Trophy (race one): 1 H Braidwood (Smoke on the Water), 2 M Phillips (Windsinger), 3 R Gilchrist (Ketch Up).

Goodwin Trophy (race two): 1 H Braidwood, 2 M Phillips, 3 R Gilchrist.