21st October 2018 race report

Frostbite 4

 

The sun shone, the winds were light and fitful and there were so many boats over the line at the start that there had to be a general recall. There was again one boat over the line on the second start, Alan Comber’s Enterprise (John Weller crewing), but the rest of the ten boats got away with Jane Anderson (Laser Full) in the lead and Sue Murray (Laser Full) close on her transom. Somewhere near the first buoy, Zebra, there was an incident involving Jane Anderson and Jane Chadney (at the helm of a Club Bosun with Paul Petvin crewing). Both did penalty turns. At the top of the course the Anderson and Murray Lasers led with the two Solos of Paul Whybrow and Adam Hilton second and third, Nathan Pollard’s Laser Full fourth, then Robin Spiller’s Streaker, the Bosuns, the Enterprise and the Gull. On the long run back down the Lake from Pinkie to Dam Green the Solos changed places in very slow motion but Nathan Pollard couldn’t overtake and join the leading Laser bunch until the beginning of the new lap. After that the order became more established with the Enterprise the only overtaker. Jane Anderson finished a minute and a half ahead of Sue Murray but Adam Hilton’s Solo was only three minutes behind her and the handicap gave him the victory.

1.      Adam Hilton (Solo)

2.      John Dabbs (Gull)

3.      Jane Anderson (Laser Full)

4.      Paul Whybrow (Solo)

5.      Sue Murray (Laser Full)

6.      Nathan Pollard (Laser Full)

7.      Robin Spiller (Streaker)

8.      Jane Chadney and Paul Petvin (Bosun)

9.      Alan Comber and John Weller (Enterprise)

10.  Cilla Gilbert and Brian Pollard (Bosun)

 

Icicle 4

 

The Laser fleet went up to five with the addition of Bob Sampson and James Pollard. It dominated the front of the race with Paul Whybrow’s Solo – fourth round the first buoy and then briefly in the lead – as the only intruder. Robin Spiller (Streaker) followed closely and the Enterprise was well placed on much of the first lap with John Dabb’s Bosun (Jane Chadney now crewing) and John Buckett’s Otter not far behind. Bob Sampson started lap 2 inches ahead of Jane Anderson. He remained in the lead. Nathan Pollard eventually got past Jane Anderson and James Pollard made it an all Laser top five over the finish line. The handicap rewarded Paul Whybrow, who’d kept the gap to the leader down to three minutes. Unfortunately Bob Sampson had to be disqualified. He was already round Dam Green and close-hauled on port when Robin Spiller came running towards that buoy on starboard with his boom right out. They clashed but Robin had right of way. 

1.      Paul Whybrow (Solo)

2.      Adam Hilton (Solo)

3.      Robin Spiller (Streaker)

4.      Nathan Pollard (Laser Full)

5.      Jane Anderson (Laser Full)

6.      Vicki Duncalf (Topper)

7.      Sue Murray (Laser Radial)

8.      John Buckett (Otter)

9.      James Pollard (Laser Full)

10.  John Dabbs and Jane Chadney (Bosun)

11.  Brian Pollard and Cilla Gilbert (Bosun)

12.  Alan Comber and John Weller (Enterprise)

Disqualified: Bob Sampson (Laser Full)

 

Many thanks to Linda Spiller and John Savage who were officers of the day, to Bob Sampson who volunteered to operate the safety boat and to Mandy Pollard who took the photographs.