The 3rd trophy match of the BUSA/ICSA Tour took place at Farmoor Reservoir in Oxford. With BUSA already 2-0 up in the four match series they were looking to extend their advantage in the 3-boat Firefly team-racing match, a best-of-nine series with helms and crews swapping in every alternate race. The BUSA team consisted of Edd Green, Dave Royse, Stu Adams, Tom Mallindine, Mark Powell and Rob Style.
Race 1, and after a fairly even start, BUSA trailed with a 236 around the windward mark. The Americans converted quickly from their 145 to a 234 at mark 2, but failed to cover Dave Royse who sailed down on the outside of the run. Then with a quick conversion from Rob Style in 1 to block out the Americans, BUSA came round in a 12 which they held to the finish.
Race 2, and the Brits led with a 125 round mark 1. The boat in 5 started gapping in case the 12 was broken up. With two boats covering him down the run, one of the American boats just managed to get through Tom Mallindine on the approach to mark 3, but a quick conversion from Edd Green reformed the 12, ensuring another win for team BUSA.
Race 3, and the Yanks had a 12 up the beat with BUSA trailing close behind in 345 at the start of the run. One of the American boats split high on the run with a British boat covering, allowing the two other brits into 23. A quick conversion at the bottom of the run and the Brits were through into
234 on the bottom reach with one of the Americans spinning. However, up the last beat, the last British boat was caught agonizingly short of the layline to the finish, and the Americans pulled off a last gasp 145.
Race 4, and an incident on the start line led to a somewhat delayed start for Captain Green, while his two team mates chased down an american 12. By the windward mark Edd was back in the game, but the Brits were into a 356.
BUSA managed to pull it back to a 236 on the run, but despite their best efforts were unable to break down the American combination, and ICSA had pulled it back to 2-2.
Race 5, and by the bottom of the run ICSA were in a close 234, but one of their boats luffed a BUSA boat without luffing rights and was handed out some spins, leaving BUSA in a 145. Rob Style almost managed to squeeze past his covering boat into a 12, but the Yanks put in a hard luff, just touching him as he rolled over to give him a spin. Fortunately though, Mark Powell was busy converting his team mate through on the other side of the course and BUSA managed to cross the line in a 135, despite a protest call on the finish line over which the umpires deliberated extensively, eventually coming out in favour of the Brits.
Race 6, and Stu Adams was in 1 off the line, with the Yanks trying cover Edd Green and Tom Mallindine. However, Edd Green managed to wriggle free and with the help of a windward mark trap from Stu, the Brits sailed into a 12 which they held round the course. 4-2 BUSA.
Race 7, and the Americans got into a 234 which they held to mark 4. Rob Style just managed to get a piece of one of the Americans up the final beat, but the Yanks pulled off a rapid soap-dish before the the Brits could capitalise, and managed to hold their 234 to the finish. 4-3 to BUSA.
Race 8, and the Brits had saved the good stuff till last, pulling off a solid start and arriving at mark 1 in a solid 123. Captain Green stopped up, making a nice safety gap, while the other two boats sailed off to the line. 125 at the finish, and BUSA had won 5-3.