Icicle Series 2026 at Bough Beech Sailing Club - Day 6
by Nick Marden 10 Feb 09:03 GMT
4 January - 22 February 2026
Bough Beech Icicle Series day 6 © Sarah Seddon
After the second race (Icicle Series Race 10) last Sunday was abandoned when the wind disappeared, there were hopes that it might be recovered as an additional race on Day 6 of the Bough Beech Icicle Series. The Race Team, led by Conventional Series leader Guy Marks, were on the water early, but for some time could do little more than admire the scenery reflected in the lake's glassy surface while the AP flag hung limply from its pole.
Eventually the promised southerly filled in, building into a shifty Force 2, and after a 30-minute postponement the 40-strong Conventional fleet finally got Race 11 under way. The wind direction allowed the race team to set a trapezoid course with a long beat, which quickly spread the fleet.
Sergio Messina (ILCA 7), who has not finished many races in the series so far, sailed an impeccable race to be first across the line, ahead of Nick Lett's RS300 and Barry Wolfenden's Hadron, duly taking the win on handicap. Wolfenden did enough to secure third overall but, unsurprisingly in the light conditions, Solos filled the remaining top places Rich Ball (Chipstead SC) was second, Patrick Ward fourth and Richard Southern fifth.
Race 12 began in slightly stronger breeze, enough at times to see crews fully hiked, but as the bulk of the fleet started their fourth lap the wind once again began to fade. Wolfenden's Hadron and Lett's RS300 had broken clear of the slower boats, with the Hadron taking handicap honours by a comfortable two minutes. Messina underlined his light-airs prowess with second place, while the Solos of Ward and Ball finished third and fifth respectively. A notable fourth place went to the lone Optimist of junior sailor Sophie S, who has continued to mix it confidently with much larger boats throughout the series. Sophie was finished by the Race Team before the wind began to soften — but that's sailing — and she deserves a round of applause.
In the Asymmetric fleet's first race of the day, Jonny Moss and Rich Sheridan led home in their RS400, followed by the three Musto Skiffs, which were never going to prosper in the light conditions. Handicap honours, however, went to the RS200 of Mike Warwicker and Kate Fitzsimmons, with the Moss/Sheridan RS400 second and another RS200, sailed by Mike Green and Isabella (Pevensey Bay SC), third. For once, the ever-quick 2000s were locked out of the podium — though not for long.
The Asymmetric fleet were rather over-enthusiastic at the start of their Race 12 and were recalled. The Race Officer restarted the sequence under the U flag, only to be faced with a dilemma: as the clock ticked down the Conventional fleet was closing in at the end of their first lap, and it became apparent that the leader would cross the start/finish line just seconds before the Asymmetrics' starting signal. The AP flag was raised hastily, and the Asymmetric fleet had to wait while the bulk of the Conventional fleet passed through before being released. With the wind fading, their race was inevitably a little shorter than it might have been. Series leaders Paul Cullen and Verity Hopkins (2000) took the win, ahead of Jonathan and Hayden Ching (2000) in second and Matt and Ollie Larkin (2000) in third.
Lunch was scheduled to be taken after the second race, and as the late finishers paddled back to the club, the Race Officer wisely decided to leave Race 10 for another day. The mirror-like conditions of the early morning soon returned.
Provisional Results: