Frostbite Series at Alton Water Sailing Club - Race 5

A wide selection of classes at the Alton Water Frostbite Series race 5

Frostbite Series at Alton Water Sailing Club - Race 5

By Jenny Pavey on 2 Feb29 January 2012A wide selection of classes at the Alton Water Frostbite Series race 5 © Emer Berry

In stark contrast to the previous week, sailors arriving for Race 5 of the Zhik Seamark Nunn Frostbite Series, were greeted by a chilly, windless reservoir shrouded in mist. However, chatting over coffee and bacon butties from the cafe, the half hour postponement passed quickly, by which time the mist had cleared and there was a gentle north-easterly blowing, enough to start the race.

The two-beat lap took a while to complete and friendly banter could be heard around the reservoir, carried on the still air. Roll-tacks were the order of the day and as the wind died, one enthusiastic Laser Radial sailor rolled a bit too far, taking a brief dip. The dying and patchy wind favoured the Laser Standards over the Radials and for the first time in the series the Larks were put in their place by the single-handers in the Medium fleet.

The course was shortened for all fleets, with the Fast and Phantom fleets sailing two laps and the Lasers, Medium and Slow fleets only completing one, as happened last week. With the fleet spread out and no sign of any breeze on its way, the chilly first finishers were glad to see the flags on the committee boat announcing that there would be no more racing that day. As the first of the fast fleet went ashore and began packing up, a sudden puff of air propelled a surprised bundle of Lasers and Larks across the line at greater speed than they’d experienced all day.

There was one retiree but with no-one going anywhere fast, there wasn’t much point in not completing the short course so 48 finishers stuck it out. Of course, as is the way with sailing, by the time people had packed up and changed there was a steady 8 – 10 knot easterly blowing, so a few keen people ventured back out to practise their skills.

There are now a grand total of 109 boats entered for this series and more new entries appear every week. This week’s finishers comprised 5 in the Fast fleet, four Phantoms, 21 Lasers, thirteen in the Medium fleet and 5 in the slow. We’re eagerly anticipating the week when all 109 turn up at once! The Advertising Standards Authority is to be consulted regarding claims from other clubs to be running the UK’s largest Frostbite Series. Here in East Anglia we consider 109 to be a bigger number than 106!

There are now two Sub-Zero series races to be re-sailed with the SIs limiting additional catch-up races to one per week.

Provisional Race 5 Results

Fast Handicap:
1st David Charlton/Celia Charlton – Merlin Rocket, Brightlingsea SC
2nd John Glasspool/Olive Glasspool – Kestrel, Alton Water SC
3rd Malcolm Parker - Blaze, Alton Water SC

Phantoms:
1st Bob Portway - Alton Water SC
2nd Matt House - Alton Water SC
3rd Jez Taylor - Alton Water SC

Lasers:
1st Graham Ireland - Standard, Royal Harwich YC
2nd Gary Pilgrim - Standard, Alton Water SC
3rd John Russell – Standard, Alton Water SC

Medium Handicap:
1st Robert Laurie - Solo, Tollesbury SC
2nd Harry O’Riordan - Streaker, Waldringfield SC
3rd Dave Shuster - Streaker, Waldringfield SC

Slow Handicap:
1st David Labrouche - Optimist, Deben SC
2nd Annie Knott/Ellie Wootton - Cadet, Waldringfield SC
3rd Cameron Harris/Adam Fuller - RS Feva XL, Alton Water SC

With two weeks of contrasting conditions there has been a change in the series leaders with David and Celia Charlton now leading the fast fleet in their Merlin Rocket. Matthew House remains at the top of the Phantoms as does Rheanna Pavey in the Laser fleet. Harry Pynn/Gemma Cook in the Lark still lead the Medium fleet while David Labrouche retains his lead in the Slow fleet in his Optimist.

Full results can be found at www.altonwater.co.uk