Alton Water Zhik Seamark Nunn Frostbite Series - Day 2

Alton Water Zhik / Seamark Nunn Frostbite Series day 2 © Emer Berry

The popular Alton Water Zhik Seamark Nunn Frostbite Series finally got underway on 13 January, after problems with visibility had prevented any races taking place the previous week. With 56 entries in total, the local fleet was boosted by entries from at least 9 other clubs including new visitors from Creeksea SC, Hickling Broad SC and St Edmundsbury Sailing & Canoeing Association as well as regulars from Royal Harwich YC and Brightlingsea, Tollesbury, Deben, Waldringfield and Stour sailing clubs.

The Fast handicap and Phantoms had a combined start, followed by the Lasers (the largest fleet with 16 starters), Medium Handicap and finally the slow handicap who have their own series, the Zhik/Seamark Nunn 1175+ Frostbite and are set a slightly shorter course. Line discipline was good with just a few individual recalls. The Race Officer set a course of 4 laps for the Fast Handicap and Phantoms, three laps for the Lasers and Medium and two for the slow fleet and with the laps having two beats there was plenty of scope for place-changing and some close racing. The wind was a fairly steady N force 2 – 3 with shifts to the NE to keep people on their toes. The scheduled Race 2 of the Frostbite Series was raced first, followed by Race 1 which was postponed from the previous week.

Everyone managed to stay above the water apart from one Phantom sailor who did some extended testing of the water temperature following a sudden capsize when his tiller extension broke. It was good to see some of the younger sailors from last year's 1175+ series racing their new classes of boat having moved up from RS Tera to RS Feva or Cadet to 420.

After a break for lunch a hardy dozen ventured out again, for Race 2 of the separate Sub-Zero series, which, as the sailors were by this stage feeling distinctly chilled, was several laps of a triangular course with one start. The Sub-Zero race was won by Matt House in his Phantom followed by Graham Ireland in a Laser and Oli Harris in the RS300 in third.

Race 1 Results: (top three)

Fast handicap
1st Dan Willett/Pete Nicholson – Merlin Rocket (Brightlingsea SC)
2nd David Hearsum/Ian Hearsum - Kestrel (Hickling Broad SC)
3rd Oli Harris – RS300 (Alton Water SC)

Phantoms
1st Douglas Conway (Alton Water SC)
2nd Matt House (Alton Water SC)
3rd Neil Collingridge (Waldringfield SC)

Lasers
1st Graham Ireland – Standard (RHYC)
2nd Gary Pilgrim – Standard (Alton Water SC)
3rd Christopher Woodard – Standard (Waldringfield SC)

Medium Handicap
1st Tim Linsell/Alan Krailing - Lark (Waldringfield SC)
2nd Ben Alexander/Gemma Thompson – RS200 (Waldringfield SC)
3rd Harry Pynn/Gemma Cook - Lark (Waldringfield SC)

Slow handicap
1st Will Taylor/Matt Taylor - RS Feva (Alton Water SC)
2nd Lucy Terkelsen/Cally Terkelsen - Cadet (Stone SC)
3rd Dylan Walendy-Wrigley - Topper (Alton Water SC)

Race 2 Results: (top three)

Fast handicap
1st Dan Willett/Pete Nicholson - Merlin Rocket (Brightlingsea SC)
2nd Oli Harris – RS300 (Alton Water SC)
3rd David Hearsum/Ian Hearsum – Kestrel (Hickling Broad SC)

Phantoms
1st Chris Roberts (Creeksea SC)
2nd Nick Radley (Stone SC)
3rd Matt House (Alton Water SC)

Lasers
1st Alex Davey - Standard (Royal Harwich YC)
2nd Chris Woodard - Standard (Waldringfield SC)
3rd Gary Pilgrim - Standard (Alton Water SC)

Medium Handicap
1st Tim Linsell/Alan Krailing - Lark (Waldringfield SC)
2nd Harry Pynn/Gemma Cook - Lark (Waldringfield SC)
3rd Ben Alexander/Gemma Thompson - RS200

Slow handicap
1st Will Taylor/Matt Taylor - RS Feva (Alton Water SC)
2nd Lucy Terkelsen/Cally Terkelsen - Cadet (Stone SC)
3rd Dylan Walendy-Wrigley - Topper (Alton Water SC)

Full results including series results so far can be found at www.altonwater.co.uk Next week's races, 20 January, will be Frostbite Race 3 followed back-to-back by Sub-Zero Race 3 and after lunch, catch-up race Sub-Zero Race 1.