JERSEY yachtsman Allan Brown was disappointed with his third place in the Kleinwort Benson Guernsey to Jersey Yacht Race, Guernsey boats taking first and second places.

But there was jubilation for the winners – brothers Jamie and Grant Hamilton, in Mad Cap – whose family have been competing in the race for over 20 years and had never won it before.

Simon Henning’s Alice 2 came second, after experiencing difficulties with the spinnaker. Brown, in The Dogs, who won the race last year, explained his frustration at what happened as a result: ‘As they struggled to put it up, we tried to overtake them but they deliberately prevented us from finding a way past. It’s perfectly within the rules of racing, but it was both frustrating and, to put it mildly, very disappointing. He (Simon Henning) apologised afterwards and I can laugh about it now, but at the time it was a good job we were miles away from land, the language we were using.

As yachts two and three ploughed on through the water, Jamie Hamilton was able to put even more distance between them, eventually crossing the finishing line over nine minutes ahead, on corrected time.