Sunday 18th Dec 2011

Latest sailing report from: Tony Hunt

After relatively mild weather through the series, competitors had to endure icy conditions for the last race of the Open Winter Series. Although the wind for the final day was not excessive, and indeed generally provided some nice F3-4 planing, racers' extremities grew so cold that the result for many became secondary to “get around the course and indoors for the Xmas meal and prize-giving”.

As had become clear already with a week to go, Richard Smith of Blue Circle SC won the Long Course trophy in his MPS ahead of the Laser 3000 of Tony Hunt & Suzanne Hall of WSC in second, and the RS 800 of Andy Peake with novice-but-quick-to-learn crew Stephanie Brimacomber of Whitstable YC in third.

In the Medium Course, the National 12 of Ian & Hannah Foxwell had battled it out over the course of the series with the Wayfarer of Brian Lamb & Sam Pygall, the Laser 2000 of John Hewat & Paul Rodgers and the Blaze of Andy Pickrell. That proved to be the final order, however, the 12 having had the best of the light airs racing and yet having planed well when the conditions permitted, while avoiding the time-sapping boat-on-boat racing 'enjoyed' by others in the fleet.

The Lapping Course was very much a Laser 2000 affair, finally won by the "we're not bothered about the result" pairing of Brian Warwick and Lesley O'Rourke from the 2k's of Roy Winnett & Geoff Lambert and Nik Antoniades & Paul Thorpe.

Crews are now looking ahead with interest to the weather forecast for the open Chilly Willies New Year's Day race - we're due a good one.