Freeman Iceberg - Race 8 Boxing Day 2010

Lovely, Bright, Sunny, Cool (only a light frost) and barely a whisper of Breeze. That was when we got up however on arrival at Piddinghoe the apparent Ice cover made it obvious that this the last race of the series was not to be. The coverage was at least 3/4" thick and the safety boat was frozen in good and solid.

By normal start time there were eight or ten sailors and Kay (the series race officer) present in the gradually warming hut - the heaters were on. Coffee was not immediately possible - the taps were frozen up in the kitchen area. A hasty check found running water in the gents changing room and the oven hob was working so the mulled wine was soon warming up. The mince pies were another matter as no one present could navigate through the menu system to turn the oven on. Rescue came via the Microwave and so all were soon provided with the 'true' spirit of Xmas.

The only item on the agenda therefore was the prizegiving which then took place.

In third place in his full rig Laser was Paul Ryan sailing this year again after a two year break.

In second place was Laurence Venus in his Streaker, in only his second series on the pond.

Top spot went to Alan Simmons also in a Streaker, a long term winter visitor to Piddinghoe, who took home the Freeman Iceberg Trophy presented to him by John Freeman - the co designer/builder of the trophy. John gave all present ashort history of the Iceberg's origins back in 1973.

Kay was roundly thanked for her continual efforts in running the series, no matter what the weather - iced up pond execepted - and presented with a small gift on behalf of those who took part in the series.


The proceeding concluded with notification of the next race at Pidinghoe, due at 2.00pm on New Years Day and with the start of the first Numbum race the following day at 11.00am. Both of these events subject, of course, to a thaw of the pond's ice.