Photos © Ben Godwin

John Tremett enjoying the conditions in Snowflake race 2

Grace Yeoman & Izzy Barker enjoy Snowflake race 2

With westerly gales sweeping most of UK on Saturday (21st January 2012), the prospect of racing in the second Snowflake race at Chichester YC must have been in doubt for most of the crews on Saturday night. However, the forecast proved correct, and with a reduction in wind speed, a 15 knot breeze greeted the 55 competitors.

A well prepared Race Office of the day, Derek Jackman laid a course to give competitors the best use of the water and a good first beat, with a committee boat start line north of the Chichester lake area.

First away was the fast fleet from the slightly favoured port end of the line, beating to CYC1. First to CYC 1 mark was the Scorpion of Steve and Sarah Cockerill, closely followed by the RS400 1226 of Jason Kirk and the Merlin Rocket of Martin Jones. The pursuing fleet of Merlins, RS400's and Finns enjoying the gusty conditions down the fast reaches.

With the two crew boats being able to carry their kites on all the downwind legs, the Merlin Rocket of Martin Jones on corrected time won, with the Scorpion of Steve and Sarah Cockerill (Hill Head S.C.) second, followed by another Merlin Rocket of David and Fiona Sayce from Hayling Island SC.

Full Fast Fleet race results

In the medium fleet, Martin Orton and Rick Page from CYC in the Laser 2000 made there first appearance in the Winter Series. Even with crew Rick taking copious notes thought the race, they finished third on correct time. However, it was the two National 12’s of William Warren and Sophie Mackley, that revelled in the conditions with their Shoreham Club colleagues of Alex Jackson and Sarah Bines never far away. William and Sophie finishing first on corrected time, just over 30 seconds ahead of Alex after 1 hours racing. The National 12 dinghy in the right hands, is proving to be well suited to the harbour environment.

Full Medium Fleet race results

In the Slow fleet another good turn out of 24 eager youngsters, in mainly Oppies, Toppers, Fevas and Mirrors made a great spectacle against the backdrop of the Chichester skyline. The Race Office of the day providing a suitable course for these young hardy competitors. After a 40 minute race, the Mirror of Adrian and Harriet Fish from Itchenor Sailing Club won, with Charlie South of Chichester YC, the first Optimist second, and a very close third (only 5 seconds behind on correct time) was Hamish Rosewarne from Pagham YC, the first Topper.

Full Slow Fleet race results

Special thanks to our CYC photographer Ben Godwin for another excellent series of photographs from yesterday’s action.

The next Snowflake event, races 3 and 4 is scheduled for the 12th February, first start 13:30hrs.