AM: Frostbite Series 1

A beautiful late September day gave the lie to the Frostbite race name, as 
fifteen boats took to the water for the start of the series. The wind died 
away just as the race started and seemed in a fickle mood, constantly 
changing direction hither and thither.  Neil Wallace and Nicky Buckett in 
the Wayfarer made the best start followed by John Chandler's Bosun and 
John Buckett's Otter. The Lasers seemed to be akin to a swarm of bees as 
they climbed all over each other in the tacking to get to Dam Green Buoy.
John Chandler managed to get an inside line on Neil as they got to the 
first mark and then as the boats all moved up the lake the wind played a 
major part in re-shaping positions within the fleet. Neil kept the lead 
whilst Mike Ford in his Solo using his knowledge of the lake's vagaries 
managed to move into second place with Jane Chadney also moving up 
well. 

As the boats rounded Pinkie, Jane managed to move ahead of Neil and 
John to take the lead. The wind then veered substantially and turned the 
long leg back to Dam Green from a beam reach into an occasional beat.
The Officer of the Day sensibly took the decision to shorten the race to 
two laps through lack of wind. True to its fickle jade personality, the 
wind then immediately picked up again enabling Simon Veal in the Laser 
to add himself to the front runners.  Adeney Pooler by this time was 
heading the chasing pack in his Graduate with John Buckett in the Otter 
and Alan Comber in the Enterprise in close attendance.  John Chandler 
who had been marooned by the lack of wind managed to take a different 
route which helped him make up some lost ground.

At the back of the fleet Derek Farnfield in the Streaker, John Savage in 
the Solo and John and Vicki Duncalf in the Toppers started their second 
lap almost together. As the front boats of Neil Wallace, Jane Chadney and 
Mike Ford finished, the wind freshened to allow the following boats to 
make up valuable handicap timing.

Results: 

1st Mike Ford (Solo)
2nd John Buckett (Otter)
3rd Neil Wallace and Nicky Buckett (Wayfarer)
4th John Chandler (Bosun)
5th Jane Chadney (Laser)
6th Adeney Pooler (Graduate)
7th John Duncalf (Topper)
8th Derek Farnfield (Streaker)
9th Alan Comber and Bob Sampson (Enterprise)
10th Simon Veal (Laser)
11th Katie Leveridge (Laser Radial)
12th Vicki Duncalf (Topper)
13th Hugh Norris (Mirror)
14th John Savage (Solo)
15th Stephanie Heasman (Topper)


Lunchtime: Peter Pocock Novice Series

With only two youngsters turning out for the final race it became a snail's 
race as the wind almost died completely!  Megan Higgs got a little puff of 
wind right at the start and it was just enough to keep her in front of Joe 
Hedges all the way to the finish line.  (It must be said that it was a very 
valiant effort by Joe who is quite a bit bigger and heavier than Megan.)
Results: 

1st Megan Higgs (Topper)
2nd Joe Hedges (Topper)
   
PM: Icicle Series 2

Considering the lack of wind and good size fleet of sixteen boats (with 
half of them crammed up one end of the start line) it was a good clean 
start!  Whilst everybody else initially floundered, John Duncalf in the 
Topper found his own patch of wind and waved royally to the other boats 
as he showed a clean pair of heels to the first mark. Somehow this 
seemed to incense Neil Wallace and he managed to barge his Wayfarer 
through to the mark with crew Nicky closing her eyes and praying for her 
life!

Whilst the slow start uncharacteristically left a lot of the faster boats in 
the middle of the fleet, as the wind picked up the more normal pecking 
order was resumed.  Neil managed to get the Wayfarer up front with 
Simon Veal in the Laser trying to chase him down. Further back the 
Otter, Toppers and Streakers were having an early tussle with Roger 
Heasman sporting a new Streaker and struggling to find boat speed.

On the second lap Simon Veals Laser mast came into contact with Derek 
Farnfield's Streaker. In the process of carrying out penalty turns Simon 
forfeited second place to Katie Leveridge in her Laser Radial.
Eventually Roger found throttle on the new Streaker and made steady 
progress through the fleet, while John Buckett in the Otter showed 
dogged persistence to hold onto the good start that he had made.

On the last lap Mike Ford found a good line to Inlet buoy when the group 
of five boats in front of him were all pushed down towards the Dam and 
had to tack to make Inlet. Mike then waved good bye and sped of into the 
distance showing all and sundry a clean pair of heels!   Neil and Nicky in 
the Wayfarer dominated yet again, whilst the three Lasers squabbled to 
the end for second over the line, with Katie Leveridge using the smaller 
Radial rig, showing off some of her best racing skills.

Results: 

1st Neil Wallace and Nicky Buckett (Wayfarer)
2nd John Buckett (Otter)
3rd Mike Ford (Solo)
4th Jane Chadney (Laser)
5th Katie Leveridge (Laser Radial)
6th Megan Higgs (Topper)
7th John Duncalf (Topper)
8th Simon Veal (Laser)
9th Sue Murray (Topper)
10th Adeney Pooler (Graduate)
11th Derek Farnfield (Streaker)
12th Roger Heasman (Streaker)
13th John Chandler (Bosun)
14th Bob Sampson and Alan Comber (Enterprise)
15th John Savage (Solo)
16th Vicki Duncalf (Topper)