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IOM Christmas Race 2024 at Birkenhead Radio Sailing & Power Club

by Peter Baldwin 16 Dec 2024 10:29 GMT
IOM Christmas Race at Birkenhead © Clive Warren / Dave Williams

It was good (and unusual!) to arrive at the club with a WNW breeze already blowing straight down the lake even at 8:00, with a forecast that it would remain that way and potentially increase during the day. Race Officer Dave Williams (assisted by Clive Warren, Neil Westbrook, Judith Baldwin and young Scarlett) set out a course and got the briefing under way promptly at 10:00 for the 19 sailors who attended.

Racing then started on time at 10:15 and a sequence of four races, break four races, break, which continued all day to achieve a total of 16 races, before the 15:00 final cutoff time. We even had two sailors who travelled the furthest all the way from Glasgow; great to see such dedication.

The wind was pretty well to forecast with some meaty gusts after lunch causing occasional loss of control downwind, but it was all very short lived and everyone stayed in A rig for the whole day.

IOM Christmas Race at Birkenhead - photo © Clive Warren / Dave Williams
IOM Christmas Race at Birkenhead - photo © Clive Warren / Dave Williams

Over the day, we had six different race winners; Brad Gibson had the lions share of 8 wins, with Graham Elliott, Martin Roberts and Darin Ballington all getting two wins each, then Peter Baldwin and Simon Fairman each gaining a single win. Next we had second and third podium places from none race winners John Brierley, Derek Priestley and Pete Walters. Best placed without a podium place and most consistent over the whole day was Rob Macintosh. There were some good performances at some point during the day for a good part of the fleet, but unfortunately most were often unable to capitalise on their initial position to gain a podium spot.

Overall, a great and very competitive days sailing with very little rain and a bit of sun earlier in the day. The overall win easily went to Brad Gibson on 18 points, 21 ahead of Graham Elliott in second with Martin Roberts just 3 points adrift in third.

At the prize-giving, Brad thanked Dave and his race team helpers for running the event and achieving 16 races in a short day and for the ladies in the galley keeping us all going with hot drinks, cakes and biscuits.

IOM Christmas Race at Birkenhead - photo © Clive Warren / Dave Williams
IOM Christmas Race at Birkenhead - photo © Clive Warren / Dave Williams

Overall Results:

PosDesignSail NoHelmR1R2R3R4R5R6R7R8R9R10R11R12R13R14R15R16Pts
1stPost PUNK42Brad Gibson12‑52111‑31‑522112118
2ndBritPOP!9Graham Elliott26‑713255223‑94(DNS)1339
3rdBritPOP!127Martin Roberts‑716363224‑7133‑174442
4thBritPOP!98Darin Ballington35‑95‑1846134‑81235547
5thVenti84John Brierley‑1033847968‑1175‑12510681
6thV9166Robert Mcintosh57477688665‑115‑9‑12781
7thBritPOP!63Peter Baldwin‑16‑111102910(DNF)1034106481087
8thDead Reckoning67Derek Priestley88245103‑125‑14961089(RET)87
9thVenti65Peter Walters41213610‑171214‑178(DNF)4823298
10thAlioth471Simon Fairman610‑15‑18981113911412‑16769115
11thSedici83Olly Murray998‑14‑14574‑15101314710118115
12thRubix28John TaylorAVBAVBAVB11811471212(DNF)‑17‑136712117
13thV1145Paul Middleton11410‑151214141111‑1567‑15131311137
14thCombi30Roger Crates12‑1711‑171112151779121391117(RET)156
15thSedici15Eric Austwick13141291613‑18(DNF)16‑1817818141413177
16thCorbie 523Alan Watkinson15131616‑1716139‑1916101511(DNF)1515180
17thLintel MMX16Guy Cowper141614131315161014‑1711(NSC)1716‑1814183
18thBritPOP!66Ted JohnstonAVBAVBAVB1215(DNF)1715131315161412(RET)(RET)184.6
19thWidget91Stan MetcalfeAVB1517‑19‑1918‑19161819161819151616219.9

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