What do you get if you mix winds gusting to 35mph, three intrepid Yeoman crews and 10 mixed dinghies all battling it out for a handful of season-end trophies?
The answer is a fabulous day of sailing for the Snowflakes, with rocketing starts and some hair-raising moments.
In this last session the dinghies set off first, blasting up the river fighting the gusts to try to avoid a dunking. The attrition started quickly as the Fireball Phoenix did not rise from the river after a serious capsize right in front of the clubhouse. Edward Wildman and Henry Whipp, with a rescue boat helping, finally got to the club decking to pack up, while Jack Copping in Topper Ash also retired early.
The remainder battled on, keeping both rescue boats busy. Nathan Ackroyd in Laser radial Whipp-It took a centre of the river course and left the remainder struggling to round the top marker in gusts that he had missed. He held this lead right through to win both on the water and with handicaps applied.
Ellie Edwards in Topper Bubble came second after handicaps and Richie Dugdale in Topper Stressy third. The Yeoman sailors all had to work incredibly hard to avoid broaching as the wind gusts caught them heeling over. Blue Ripple, crewed by James Buntin and Robert Whitefoot, was first, Kittiwake crewed by Ian Hansen and Q. Stewart second and third was Misty Morning crewed by Mario Tinge and Linda Whitefoot.
In the second race eight dinghies battled the toughest conditions of the day. This time the lasers held their ground even after handicaps with Nathan Ackroyd first and James Dugdale in Laser 146420 second. Two Yeoman fought out the slightly longer course with Kittiwake first.
The third race was a single start with just Kittiwake from the Yeoman fleet and seven dinghies. Slightly lighter winds stretched the fleet and after handicaps Ellie Edwards in Topper Bubble was the winner, Richie Dugdale in Topper Stressy second and James Dugdale third.
The Yeoman Club Trophy across races one and two went to Ian Hansen and Q. Stewart; the first dinghy race Regulars Trophy and the Davies Barometer went to Nathan Ackroyd, who also won the Dunn Cup in dinghy race two, while Ellie Edwards won the Millhouse Trophy in race three.
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