A REMARKABLE year for Mark Downer continued by adding his name to the 12 in the history of the Bailey Bowl event to have won the trophy. 

Downer was one of 14 Illusion racers at Bembridge over the weekend. 

Racing outside the harbour in light conditions saw Bruce Huber win the first race, a clear winner over Downer. 

The second race was kept to a single round. 

Downer had a middling start, but soon worked his way into the lead and won the race. 

The third was another single rounder, albeit with a second beat extended to a finish at the windward mark. 

Huber and Downer were both in the hunt, but Owen Pay came home a deserved winner.

The forecast for Sunday being wet was an accurate one.

Staying in the harbour, quite heavy rain and a 16-knot breeze, made for an interesting start to the first race.

Although Mike Toogood was ahead at the windward mark, but as the three-round race unfolded, Toogood remained just ahead but could not hold off Downer’s relentless pressure to overtake him and win. 

The restarted second race saw the breeze drop off to under five knots. 

Pay was first round the windward marks with Tellright and Tim Lyle close behind. 

As the fleet tried their best to find the illusive breeze (which at times was shifting 40 degrees), Downer started his relentless charge and moved up into second and on the final leg to the line from the leeward gate moved into a slender lead and won. 

With the rain holding off and the breeze back to roughly where it had been an hour before, the start of the third and final race of the day was a good one.   

As the race progressed, Downer motored into an unbeatable lead to win his third of the day and claim the Bailey Bowl.