New Year's Day 2022 - race 1 - 01/01/2022

 

New Year’s Day 2022

Grey and overcast as we left Hove for Piddinghoe at about noon on New Year’s Day.  A tiny touch of breeze, up here almost atop the downs, which was a little stronger at the pond as the boats rigged.

Laurence Venus was RO for the race, with Anna Freeman assisting and Andy Hamilton and J Wright? on the safety boat. Laurence setup a complex course – as below – with a loop/sausage across the centre of the pond and including two gybes per lap with the start from the Jetty on the West bank - beyond the sailboard beach – and the finish in front of the  clubhouse.

Surprisingly 14 boats appeared and signed on for the race and even went afloat!

The first leg of the course was to be a short leg to windward but which required a least two tacks as the mark could not be reached from either end of the line. At the gun boats near the outer end of the line were first away with Ed Rollestone- sailing a Laser Radial rather that his usual 4.7 leading. Ewan Hamilton (Oppy) was next higher up the line and then Thomas Harland Smith (Laser Radial) next to go. At the shore end it was Rupert Smith (Streaker) just ahead and to windward of Duncan McDonald (Streaker) with Alan Simmons (D Zero - Lancing) by the bank.

                                        Photos by Bett Simmons

Thomas H-S was first to round the windward mark off the clubhouse with Rupert next and Ed.R  3^rd to round with Duncan 4^thand Lewis Johns (Laser full rig) 5^th. 

Thomas.H-S led down the first run head of a gaggle of four, Lewis, Rupert, Duncan and Ed.R - inside to outside order down the leg. 

By the end (Top) of the following beat the order was Thomas H-S,  Ed.R and Lewis. The next leg was a broad reach to the mark in the southeast corner of the pond which these three rounded in that order only to set off for the wrong mark, having to turn back having passed the next mark on the wrong side and losing several places each in the process.

After the leg back from the mark off the Fisherman’s bay to that off the north bank Jetty it was Duncan leading Zoe McCaig (Laser Radial) across the line with Rupert third to cross the finish line. Next came Sean Beevers (Laser full rig) with Ed.R 5^th and Alan 6^th. Michael Veale and Mike Rosier (RS 200) was in 7^th place ahead of Roger McCall (Laser full rig - Pevensey Bay) then Lewis with Thomas H-S astern of him in 10^th. Tim Cox (Topper) was next to cross followed by Thomas Beck (Topper). Ewan was 13^th and lastly Darrel Topp (Laser full rig).

Lap 2 saw Duncan cementing his lead at the front of the fleet but unable to shake off Zoe. 

On the beat of the ‘Sausage’ legs Michael managed to capsize dropping him back from 7^th to 10^th place. 

Rupert held his 3^rd place ahead of Sean while Thomas H-S  roared up to lie 5^th and Lewis came next having passed Alan. Ed.R dropped back 8^th staying ahead of 9th placed Roger. There were no place changes behind Michael.

Lap 3 With Duncan still in pole position Sean made progress by passing both Zoe and Rupert to take 2^nd place. Behind these four boats there were no place changes in the rest of the fleet.

Lap 4 and Thomas H-S went up to 3^rd place and Rupert went ahead of Zoe to lie in 4^th position. Lewis 6^th stayed ahead of Alan 7^th as Roger gained a position ahead of Ed.R with no change further down the fleet as Tim, Thomas.B and  Ewan were finished.

Lap 5 the final lap Saw Duncan across the line in first place well clear of Sean 2^nd and Thomas 3^rd. Alan pulled up to finish 4^th just ahead of Rupert with Lewis 6^th. Zoe dropped to 8^th as she was passed by Alan, Lewis and Ed.R who had climbed up to 7^th. Roger lost a place to finish 9^th ahead of Michael.

                                                Ewan Hamilton

With handicaps applied the winner of the NYD race was Ewan with Duncan 2nd Tim 3^rd Thomas H-S 4^th and Sean 5^th – as below.

Results, preliminary, unchecked:-

Race 1 - 01/01/2022

 

Rank	Fleet	Boat	Class	SailNo	Club	HelmName	CrewName	PY	Finish	Elapsed	Laps	Corrected	BCE	Points
1	Menagerie	Heatwave	OPTIMIST	6231	NSSC	Ewan Hamilton		1642		61.07	4	0.46.32	0.00.00	1.0
2	Menagerie	Chops	STREAKER	2102	NSSC	Duncan McDonald		1128		54.02	5	0.47.54	0.01.33	2.0
3	Menagerie		TOPPER	41179	NSSC	Tim Cox		1365		52.33	4	0.48.07	0.01.45	3.0
4	Laser Hull	Calimity	LASER RADIAL	72341	NSSC	Thomas Harland-Smith		1147		56.38	5	0.49.23	0.03.16	4.0
5	Laser Hull	Icteros	LASER	46737	NSSC	Sean Beevers		1100		55.20	5	0.50.18	0.04.09	5.0
6	Laser Hull		LASER RADIAL	201962	NSSC	Ed Rollestone		1147		58.16	5	0.50.48	0.04.54	6.0
7	Laser Hull	Bruce	LASER RADIAL	146162	NSSC	Zoe McCaig		1147		58.22	5	0.50.53	0.05.00	7.0
8	Menagerie	Scoundrel	STREAKER	1681	NSSC	Rupert Smith		1128		57.36	5	0.51.04	0.05.07	8.0
9	Laser Hull		LASER	179808	NSSC	Lewis Johns		1100		57.59	5	0.52.43	0.06.48	9.0
10	Menagerie		TOPPER	47124	NSSC	Thomas Beck		1365		58.36	4	0.53.40	0.07.48	10.0
11	Menagerie		DEVOTI D-ZERO	224	Lancing	Alan Simmons		1029		57.22	5	0.55.45	0.09.29	11.0
12	Menagerie	Hot Toddy	RS 200		NSSC	Michael Veale	Mike Rosier	1046		59.45	5	0.57.07	0.11.05	12.0
13	Laser Hull		LASER	217834	NSSC	Darrel Topp		1100		RET				14.0

An interesting race, with a good few place changes and some very  close finishes in the final lap – less than a minute between fourth and ninth position across the finish line. Conditions were good, although the sun did not break through it was warmish and dry and a good sail was enjoyed by all – well nearly all!

It was a bit of a shock to learn that the first races of the 2022 Elford Numbum series was due to take place the next day – Sunday 2^nd Jan. two lots of Blog to write in two days so keep your eyes peeled.

Alan.S DZ 224