I.O.M Winter Series Round 6 at Lincoln Radio Sailing Club

Lincoln I.O.M Winter Series Round 6 - Mick Cooper checking mast rake © Mick Chamberlain

Lincoln I.O.M Winter Series Round 6 - Mick Chamberlain's Venti © Mick Chamberlain

Lincoln I.O.M Winter Series Round 6 - Race winning Venti of Pete Walters © Mick Chamberlain

In a bold display of optimism, helms managed a ten-race series on the winter solstice - the shortest day of the year. Fortunately, IOM racing moves at a blistering pace.

A few regular faces were notably absent - whether they were caught up in last-minute Christmas shopping or had opted to celebrate the solstice at Stonehenge instead remains a mystery. However, a strong fleet of 14 helms turned out, all bidding for victory.

Despite the unpromising conditions during the journey to the club, with rain lashing windscreens and spirits dampening en route, the weather gods smiled upon Lincoln once racing commenced.

The rain held off throughout the day, allowing all ten races to be completed in dry conditions - a welcome reprieve that was no doubt appreciated by skippers. The wind was light, rarely exceeding 5 kts, so A rig was the order of the day.

Special thanks go to Darin Ballington and Pete Walters for their efforts in setting up the course & equipment before racing, ensuring everything was ready for a prompt 10 am start.

Pete Walters (Venti sail #65) dominated the day's racing, claiming victory with an impressive 12.0 points from the ten races (with two discards). His consistency was remarkable, highlighted by him taking 5 race wins and when utilising his discards not counting any race outside the top three across the day. This masterclass in consistency saw him take the top spot with a comfortable margin.

Tim Hand (Britpop sail #134) secured second place overall with 19.0 points. Tim showed strong form with two victory's and demonstrated excellent consistency throughout the fleet. Hand has qualified for the World Championships at Datchet next year, demonstrating the high calibre of competition at Lincoln.

Roger Crates completed the podium in third position, also sailing a Venti (sail #30), finishing on 20.0 points. Crates opened strongly with a commanding win in race 1 and maintained solid positions throughout, proving the Venti hull's competitiveness in the conditions.

Darin Ballington (Pikanto sail #98) finished fourth with 27.0 points. Like Hand, Ballington has also secured his place at the Datchet World Championships, underlining the quality of racing at Lincoln where world-class sailors regularly compete.

Mick Chamberlain rounded out the top five with 29.0 points in his Venti (sail #46). Chamberlain showed flashes of brilliance with a race win in race 7.

Chris Elliott (Britpop sail #74) finished sixth on 47.0 points after a challenging day that included some higher-placed finishes. The battle intensified further down the fleet, with Martyn Aspinall, Mick Cooper, Paul Kelly, and Adrian Cripps all finishing within twenty points of each other.

The conditions clearly suited a variety of hull designs, with Venti, Britpop, and Pikanto hulls all featured prominently in the results, showcasing the competitive nature of IOM racing.

The slightly older designs on show today were very much in the mix and not far off the leaders with the Vision and Robot of Peter and Ron both getting some excellent mid fleet results at times.

Grateful thanks go to everyone who helped pack away at the end of the day - many hands made light work, ensuring the club was left shipshape for the festive season.

Round 6 Results: