Frensham Frenzy 2018 at Frensham Pond Sailing Club
by Bruce Hill 17 Mar 2018 21:17 GMT
11 March 2018
Frensham Frenzy 2018 © John Haine
Frensham Pond is invariably a challenging place to sail. This is what makes it home to some of the best in the country with new national champions bred every year. The challenge for the local and visitor alike is to embrace the opportunities the conditions provide. What goes around, comes around.
Conversely, approach it with a negative attitude and your glass will be half-empty, you'll feel you are in a header or a hole or the boat will feel dead because you've not adapted the rig or your body position sufficiently quickly. This year's Frenzy was a perfect illustration of all this, but somehow, the cream usually appears at the top.
The Frenzy format is simple, two pursuit races, where the slowest classes start first, held over a course that consumes the entire pond, whether no wind or much wind. However, the pond is surrounded by large weeds (aka trees) which, depending on the wind direction, can make it very shifty as well. This year it was a gentle 2 to 12mph from the Southeast, less in the afternoon, which gave the race team led by race officer Andy Shorrock limited options regarding where to lay the start line and set the course. Nevertheless, with some careful mark positioning he managed to attain 3 decent beats in every lap and numerous downwind legs together with a start line virtually in the reeds.
Despite a clash with Mother's Day, there were nearly forty entries from the RS Tera's up to the ultra-fast RS100's and virtually anything in between but the format meant the faster boats had to sail through the dirty air created by the slower.
Frensham has the largest 2.4mR keelboat fleet in the country and on handicap these boats can have an edge when the dinghies can't plane, especially upwind. Add one ex-world champion to the mix and they were always going to be prominent in these conditions. Sure enough, with clear firsts in both races was Megan Pascoe (2.4mR), and second overall in (counting 2nd/3rd) was Bruce Hill (2.4mR).
Many of the other classes also entered champions though and the club's very own Keith Videlo (past Laser and Solo national champion) sailing a Laser came through to a well-deserved third overall (counting a 3rd and 5th). Fourth overall, with two sixths, were Steve Cumley and Eluned Stewart (Lark) and there was a tie for fifth between Paul Schroeder (2.4mR) and Bryan Taylor (Solo). There were also the popular family, class and most bizarre moment prizes plus the glorious Frensham Tea to complete the event so everyone returned home vowing never to sail there again. Until the following year!