Streaker Ramblings - Freeman Iceberg Race 8 26.12.2011

The drive to Piddinghoe Boxing Day  morning was grey overcast, a light drizzle and just a whisp of breeze. Windguru for Seaford had been forcasting a force 4 westerly for the day but it did not develop. The breeze was certainly westerly but with a good bit of southerly in it too.
Thirteen boats took to the water on an unusual figure of eight course starting with a tiny windward leg in front of the clubhouse and then off on a very broad reach across to the east side of the pond. A gybe or a hardening up – depending upon which tack one approached from – led to a very close reach across behind the island to the south east corner. From there it was a beat up to the mark off the flag pole and then a reach to North east corner before turning westwards to beat back to the club house and start mark. The  breeze was somewhere between force 2 and 3 with occasional gusts just about in the force 4 area – the occasional plane was possible.

At the start gun, of the thirteen strong fleet,  three Lasers were first away - Matt Springhall (Laser full rig, NSSC) then Paul Ryan (Laser full rig, Hardway SC) and last of the set Jonty Freeman (Laser Radial, NSSC). Just behind them were Alice Smith (Topper, NSSC), Alan Simmons (Streaker, Lancing SC) and then Tim Cox (Laser full rig) with Ed Thorburn (Finn, NSSC) trailing him.

By the end of the first lap Matt.S on his first outing of the year led Ed.T with Paul.R in third position just 2 seconds behind. In fourth spot Jonty.F was in front of Alan.S  who, in turn, was one second ahead of Rupert Smith (Laser full rig, NSSC). Alan and Rupert had a battle throughout the first half of the race changing places regularly and rarely more than 10 seconds apart at the end of a lap. It was lap six before Rupert really began to pull away.

By the finish of  lap 2 the order had settled to Ed.T , Paul.R,  Matt.S and Jonty.F.

During lap 4 Steve and Penelope Duncan (Fireball, NSSC) who were coming up behind Alan.S – then in 6^th place – but suddenly dropped well back. It was afterwards discovered that the Jib had been incorrectly rigged and words with the crew resulted in near mutiny. It was a long and slow recovery to get up to 10^th on the water by the end of lap 7. Also in this lap Matt.S having just gone on to the reach across to the north east corner had a sudden falling out with his boat an equally sudden falling in to the water. This slowed him down rather as First Jonty, then Rupert and then Alan all passed him and he was unable to recover to better than 6^th place on the water.

Another  event occurred at one of the turning marks when a Laser loudly called for water, to which allegedly, he was not entitled. The was quite a bit of returning loud calls and the threat of protest but as far as the writer is concerned had not happened by the time of the prize giving.

One boat was afloat in a very curious garb, namely a Laser II (Hull) with a sail bearing a Scorpion insignia and a dubiously high sail number. Mike Rosier and crew Chris (NSSC) had sailed in a number  of craft in this series but this was the strangest to date. They did manage to stay ahead of Jack Turner and James Bovington (Laser II, NSSC) in their conventionally rigged boat, who had had a bit of an up and a down race in the light breeze and just about able to stay ahead of Alice.S in her Topper.

Tim.C was consistant in the full rig Laser, he had borrowed from Bill Wates, only dropping from 7^th (on the water) in lap 3 when Steve.D – who had been tied with him at the end of lap 2 – briefly got ahead. Steve’s problems, mentioned above, then allowed him back into 7^th spot.

Bill Wates, having loaned his boat to Tim.C went on to crew for Michael Veale  (in his RS 200, NSSC). They did manage to fly the spinnaker but it did them no good in the light conditions. Dan Ford and Becca Gibson (Magno, NSSC) fought their way gamely around the course with, as far as was seen , just one capsize – the reason for this is unknown but it could be that Becca is not getting her weight onto the side deck at exactly the correct moment.

At the finish of this final race of the series, after some nine laps, the order was Ed.T, Paul.R, Jonty, F, Rupert.S Alan. S, Matt.S and Tim.C the remainder of the fleet finishing at least on the previous lap. With the handicaps calculated the winner was Alan with Jonty 2^nd and Ed in third spot.

Results – Race 8 (unofficial/unchecked) :-

1^st.Alan Simmons,  2^nd Jonty Freeman, 3^rd. Ed Thorburn, 4^th. Paul Ryan, 5^th Rupert Smith, 6^th. Matt Springhall, 7^th. Tim Cox, 8^th Alice Smith, 9^th. Mike Rosier, 10^th Dan Ford and Jack Turner, 12^th. Michael Veale, 13^th Steve Duncan.

The series this year has had more strong wind than in the previous couple of years meaning that the younger, fitter helms have benefitted more than some of the old-uns (the writer included in that group) but the turnouts have been good and a few new faces have turned up. As always the Race Officer, Kay Young , has done sterling work – setting up the courses and recording the lap times – in all kinds of weather, although fortunately no snow this time round and was given a small token of appreciation at the prizgiving. Some 29 boats entered the series and completed at least one race – some helms used a variety of boats which did not necessarily help their overall results.

When the overall positions in the series were calculated both Ed and Jonty had 11 points (subsequently resolved via the last race result making Jonty the winner) whilst Alan had 13 and was thus 3^rd overall. Paul Ryan was 4^th, Rupert Smith 5^th, Darren Smith 6^th, Michael Veale 7^th, Dan Ford 8^th,  Laurence Venus 9^th, Tom Taylor 10^th, Jack Turner 11^th, Alice Smith 12^th & 13^th (Topper and Laser II), Graham Hardy 14^th and Bill Wates 15^th

Alan.S 1700

PS. The New Year’s day race starts at 2.00pm on Sunday 1^st Jan and the Elford Numbum series commences on Sunday 8^th Jan at 11.00am – we hope to see you there, if only spectating from the bankside.