Chichester Yacht Club Snowflake Series 2025 - Day 1
by Mark Green 3 Feb 2025 19:53 GMT
2 February 2025
Chichester Snowflake Series day 1 © Karen Cheeseman
On a day blessed with a beautiful, cloudless blue sky and a light wind blowing at 10 knots from the south, the sailing community gathered at the Chichester Yacht Club (CYC) lake for an fine days racing. The Race Officer, Nick Colbourne, set a trapezoidal course from the west back of the lake, with the first beat directed towards the clubhouse.
In the first race the large Fast Fleet were a little over enthusiastic, a general recall was necessary as many boats pushed the starting line too aggressively. The 3,2,1 restart almost surprised some competitors as they rushed back to the start line, but in the end, all boats got off cleanly.
The light wind posed a strategic challenge, making course selection to the first mark crucial. Sailors had to decide between staying close to Birdham to avoid the tide or venturing more towards the centre for a stronger breeze.
The fast fleet consisted of 26 boats, including seven Hadron H2s, five Merlin Rockets, three RS400s, and pairs of Phantoms, Ospreys, and RS300s.
After two thrilling races, the fast fleet saw a dominant performance by the Merlin Rockets, securing the top three positions. Chris Gould and Livvy Bell emerged victorious in both races, followed by Tim Saxton and Holly McArthur in second place, and Alex Jackson and Pip Vilaby in third. The top CYC boat, an RS400 sailed by Jack Holden and Rob Henderson, finished in fourth place.
The medium fleet, comprising 14 boats, featured 2000s, Solos, and Aeros. At the end of day one, Rob and Jemma Burridge's 2000 clinched the win in both races. Alex Butler secured second place, followed by CYC's Ian Barnett in his Solo.
The slow fleet, though relatively small, saw impressive performances. Ian and Ted Dobson in a Mirror won both races, followed by Charlie Hunt in his RS Tera Pro and Anna Swain in third place. Sebby Bamley finished fourth overall.
The next Snowflake race is scheduled for a 12:30 PM start on Sunday, 16th February. Competitors can register by visiting www.cyc.co.uk
It was a day marked by beautiful weather, strategic sailing, and thrilling competition, setting the stage for even more excitement in the upcoming races.
Full results