Fox's Marine & Country Alton Water Frostbite Series - Day 3

Close racing with a scenic backdrop - Day 3 of the Fox's Marine & Country Alton Water Frostbite Series © Emer Berry

Low-flying hazards to be avoided - Day 3 of the Fox's Marine & Country Alton Water Frostbite Series © Tim Bees

Goes well to windward! - Day 3 of the Fox's Marine & Country Alton Water Frostbite Series © Tim Bees

Races 7, 8 and 1

This was the second race weekend proper and we started to make inroads on the race backlog. We are now (as per the SIs) scheduling three races back to back for the next 3 weekends, with the usual two races per Sunday for the last couple of weekends. With 13 races still to sail and 6 discards from an 18 race series there is all to play (sail?) for.

There were 76 boats out racing, all with their own hopes and expectation as to what the weather conditions would be. The forecast ranged from 5mph through to 25mph later with heavy rain (and no clear definition of 'later'). What we did get was a variable and backing breeze across the three races with probably the middle race sailed in the most wind – this having an effect on the handicap results especially in the Laser fleet.

Determined to get the three races completed with minimal breaks, a slightly shorter than the now standard 'two beat, two reach, one run' lap was set and, with the races starting on time and eagle-eyed line spotters calling back over-eager starters, all five race starts got away without the need for any general recalls.

New this week and in place for the rest of the series is the 'fading breeze coefficient' – this is based on the 'first boat in a fleet' changing lap times as a multiplier for the average laps imposed on any early finishers. This can be invoked by the Race Officer to the consternation of the handicap scorers.

With our mantra of 'we will get better days' failing to work last week with the reservoir iced over (having been ice free on the Saturday), this week there was an improvement and the sun even appeared as well as the Dragon Boat (and not sure about the Slavonian grebe).

In the Fast fleet the Merlin Rockets are once again heading the leaderboard followed by a mix between the seven Phantoms and seven RS300s. With one discard kicking in after five races there are only three points separating the top three boats. Early days but all to play (or sail) for.

In the Asymmetrics it is very much a repeat of 2016 with David Conlon and Sarah Bines being invincible to date, winning all five races. Conditions (if not handicaps) appear to be favouring the RS200s; they currently fill the first six places overall.

The Laser Standards are making the most of the light conditions to date with the first Radial managing to just hold on to third place overall. The Series leaders in this class 'have form' and this competition will run through to the end.

The Medium class have a good spread of boats and an even mix of double and single-handed boats, with a not unsurprising lead in the fleet being held by last year's overall winner Alan Krailing/Katie Spark in their Lark. It is good to see a resurgence of Finns with four boats sailing in this start.

For the slow fleet consistency seems to be the name of the game with Richard Townley mirroring the best RS200 - all bullets to date - and followed at a little distance by a mix of Cadets from Waldringfield.

See www.altonwater.co.uk/index.php?pid=167&series=449&full_series_fleet=449 for full results.

Results after day 3: