4th November 2018 race report

Frostbite 6

 The start was towards the Dam, the winds being southerly and gentle, and Jane Anderson (Laser Radial) was the first of nine boats to cross the line, with Nathan Pollard (Laser Full) second and Sally Wills, helming the club’s Bosun with Roger Heasman as crew, third. This was a day when the few minutes after the starts were crucial and very little overtaking took place subsequently. By the end of the first lap Nathan Pollard had grabbed the lead from Jane Anderson and Adam Hilton (Solo) had cleared the rest of the fleet to follow behind these two leaders. Robin Spiller (Streaker) was next and Penny Abbott got her Laser Radial up to fifth ahead of the three Bosuns during the second lap. These laps were taking about twenty minutes and so the race officer shortened the contest to three of them. The Solo finished three minutes behind the leading Laser, little enough to give Adam Hilton the victory on handicap.

1.      Adam Hilton (Solo)

2.      Jane Anderson (Laser Radial)

3.      Robin Spiller (Streaker)

4.      Nathan Pollard (Laser Full)

5.      Sally Wills and Roger Heasman (Bosun)

6.      Jane Chadney and John Dabbs (Bosun)

7.      Penny Abbott (Laser Radial)

8.      Cilla Gilbert and Brian Pollard (Bosun)

9.      Vicki Duncalf (Topper)

 

Icicle 6

Jane Anderson again started first with next Roger Heasman, now bossing the club Bosun, then Adam Hilton’ Solo and Robin Spiller’s Streaker. But more important was the order around the first buoy. With Dam Green so close to the start line and with the wind just west of south and therefore a choice of starting on port and coming up to the buoy on starboard or the other way round, there was plenty of scope for conflict as the fleet all arrived at pretty much the same time. As an example, Roger Heasman, on port, lost time having to dive behind the starboard tacking Nathan Pollard. In any event the leaders as they ran up to Middle emerged as the familiar Anderson, Pollard, Hilton trio. Nathan overtook Jane on the first lap but never got far enough ahead to overcome the handicap difference between  Radial and  Full sails. Penny Abbott (Laser Radial) got pushed well out at Dam Green but asserted herself on the way up the Lake and spent the race at fourth ahead of Robin Spiller. The wind was slightly fresher and lap times went down enough for John Duncalf, running the race, to allow it to run the full four laps – to no avail; no overtaking took place after the first lap! 

1.      Adam Hilton (Solo)

2.      Jane Anderson (Laser Radial)

3.      Nathan Pollard (Laser Full)

4.      Robin Spiller (Streaker)

5.      Penny Abbott (Laser Radial)

6.      Roger Heasman and Sally Wills (Bosun)

7.      John Dabbs and Jane Chadney (Bosun)

8.      Vicki Duncalf (Topper)

9.      Cilla Gilbert and Brian Pollard (Bosun)

 

Many thanks to John Duncalf who was Officer of the Day, to Sue Murray and Bob Sampson who were in the safety boat and to Mandy Pollard who took the photographs.