Freeman Iceberg Race 15 - 27.12.2021

 

Freeman Iceberg Race 15 – 26.12.2021

Boxing day and the final race of the 2021 Freeman Iceberg Series at Piddinghoe dawned grey overcast and raining as we left home for the pond. It was little better on arrival except that there was absolutely no breeze as we rigged the boats.

More in hope than anger , Ed Thorburn – RO for this final race – assisted by Penny Springall with Ian Lambert in the Safety boat, decided to have a simple triangular course with a committee boat start and finish in the middle of the pond. Just  before the start he decided to run it in the opposite direction – as shown below:-

The 11 strong fleet struggled to get to the line and once in the area struggled even more to get on the correct side of the line, manoeuvre and line up ready for the start signal. At the gun a fitful breeze did begin to fill in making it a running start.

   

                                    Photos by Bett  Simmons

On the gun Lewis Johns (Laser full rig) was first away, near the mark furthest from the Committee boat, Rupert Smith (OK) was next away with Alan Simmons (D Zero) third at the committee boat end. It was not a long leg to the mark off the east shore but Alan made it first, with Rupert 2^nd and Sean Beevers (Laser full rig) 3^rd to round, with Matt Springall (Laser full rig) 4^th. 

The second leg, to the mark in the south east corner, was a broad reach and thereafter a beat up the south bank. 

Rupert tacked off to port and found a bit of breeze tacking back onto starboard just to weather of Alan whom he had caught up with. Just before the windward mark, in the south west corner Rupert had a bit of a ‘jiggle’ and nearly landed on top of Alan but in recovering it allowed Alan to round first. 

However Alan took the mark too close and caught it with his rear quarter. Following a call from Rupert he carried out a 360 degree turn which left Rupert off the hook and into the lead. As a result Rupert was first to cross the line at the end of the first lap with Alan 2^nd 27 seconds astern and Sean a further 14 seconds behind. In 4th place at the stage was Julian Dobson (Laser full rig) with Matt 5^th, Lewis 6^th, Zoe McCaig (Laser Radial) was lying 7^th with Dave Murley (Laser Radial) 8^th, Alice Smith (Streaker) was 9^th, Ed Rollestone (Laser 4.7) 10^th and Ewan Hamilton (Oppy) 11^th.

Lap 2 had Rupert in the lead from Alan now 30 seconds ahead, with Sean 20 seconds behind him. Matt had passed Julian to lie 4^th and Zoe went ahead of Lewis. Alice and Ed.R overtook Dave. The breeze had begun to fill in during this lap making the windward leg less one sided.

Lap 3 saw Rupert still in the lead as Sean passed Alan to lie in 2^nd place and Matt closing down the gap to Alan. Julian dropped back behind Lewis and Zoe to 7^th place but there were no changes further back in the fleet.

Lap 4 Sean was gaining on Rupert to cross the line just 4 seconds behind and pull further ahead of Alan. Matt had a capsize on the downwind leg, early into the lap when his mainsheet hooked over the end of his boom allowing Lewis to pass him into 4^th place. Alan had had a similar situation when his main caught on the knots on the end of his traveller, he lost time but not position.

Lap 5 had Rupert crossing the line just 1 second ahead of Sean  with Alan still in 3^rd place and Matt back into 4^th position. Behind these four there were no place changes in this lap.

Lap 6 Sean went into the lead leaving Rupert 17 seconds behind and Matt went ahead of Alan by 8 seconds. Alice also went up a place to lie 7^th behind Lewis and Zoe but with no changes in the last three places with Ewan being finished here.

Lap 7 Sean pulled further ahead of Rupert  to cross the line 30 seconds in front with Matt still 80 seconds behind him and Then came Alan another 30 seconds further back as Alice dropped back behind Zoe and Julian to lie 8^th. The last three positions remained unchanged with Dave being finished at the end of this lap.

Lap 8, the final lap saw Sean take line honours ahead of Rupert with Matt 3^rd and Alan 4^th. Behind these four the order was Lewis 5^th, Zoe 6^th, Julian 7^th, Alice 8^th, Ed.R 9^th.

When the handicaps had been applied and the corrected times calculated the winner of this final race was Sean Beevers with Ewan Hamilton 2^nd, Rupert Smith 3^rd, Ed Rollestone 4^th and Matt Springall 5^th, as below

Results provisional unchecked:-

Race 15 - 26/12/2021

Start: Start 1, Finishes: Place

Rank	Fleet	Boat	Class	SailNo	Club	HelmName	CrewName	PY	Finish	Elapsed	Laps	Corrected	BCE	Points
1	Laser Hull	Icteros	LASER	46737	NSSC	Sean Beevers		1100		44.02	8	0.40.02	0.00.00	1.0
2	Menagerie	Heatwave	OPTIMIST	6231	NSSC	Ewan Hamilton		1642		49.49	6	0.40.27	0.00.31	2.0
3	Menagerie	Saxon	OK	2239	NSSC	Rupert Smith		1104		45.05	8	0.40.50	0.00.53	3.0
4	Menagerie		FINN	595	NSSC	Ed Thorburn		1049		OOD				3.3
5	Laser Hull		LASER 4.7	207462	NSSC	Ed Rollestone		1208		50.31	8	0.41.49	0.02.10	4.0
6	Laser Hull		LASER	207006	NSSC	Matt Springall		1100		46.48	8	0.42.33	0.02.46	5.0
7	Laser Hull	Bruce	LASER RADIAL	146162	NSSC	Zoe McCaig		1147		48.54	8	0.42.38	0.02.59	6.0
8	Laser Hull		LASER	179808	NSSC	Lewis Johns		1100		47.51	8	0.43.30	0.03.49	7.0
9	Menagerie		STREAKER	1681	NSSC	Alice Smith		1128		50.21	8	0.44.38	0.05.12	8.0
10	Laser Hull		LASER	7	NSSC	Julian Dobson		1100		49.08	8	0.44.40	0.05.06	9.0
11	Menagerie		DEVOTI D-ZERO	224	Lancing	Alan Simmons		1029		47.09	8	0.45.49	0.05.58	10.0
12	Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	142208	NSSC	Dave Murley		1147		46.55	7	0.46.45	0.06.44	11.0

The overall winner of the Iceberg Series is Thomas Harland-Smith with Ed Rollestone 2^nd, Ed Thorburn 3^rd, Lewis Johns 4^th and Sean Beevers 5^th.

The Prize Giving was held at the Piddinghoe club house soon after the racing had finished and (most) boats packed /covered up.  Regretably Thomas H.S was unable to receive the trophy in person. Prizes were also awarded for some of the sea sailing events.

This has been an exceptional series with not a single race lost, although takers for the few windy days were somewhat reduced. Here is hoping that the New Year’s Day race and subsequent Elford Numbum Series are a s fortunate with the weather.

Thanks are due to the gallant efforts of Mary Harland and Michelle Smith for their tireless work in the ‘galley’ during the series – especially for the mince pies and mulled wine this day. Further thanks are due to Bett Simmons for standing on the banks come what may in terms of weather and Taking lots of great photos of the action – or lack of it.

Wishing all who took part and those who read this my blog a happy and prosperous New Year in 2022.

Alan.S DZ 224

PS. Don’t forget that the New Year’s Day race usually starts at 2.00 pm (1400 hours) on Saturday next – cannot see confirmation on the NSSC web site.