Round-up: Mackley takes silver at Norwich Frostbites
Action from Snowflake SC Picture: Ian Symonds. - Credit: Archant
David Mackley was among the silverware at Norwich Frostbites – but only after narrowly escaping a ducking.
Five Norfolk Dinghies competed in a long beat upstream towards Norwich as far as Carrow Yacht Club and near to the site of the former power station.
Geoff Coulthard, sailing B71 Wild Duck and crewed by John Wood, made the best start and commenced tacking up the cut only to be overtaken by Mackley in B6 Lucifer beyond repair, crewed by Linda Allen. Later David Yapp sailing B50 Dodman, crewed by Nigel Gutteridge, moved into second place followed by Bernie Woodcock sailing B54 Coot and crewed by Ray Johnson. On the way back Mackley was hit by a strong gust which required all his skill to prevent a capsize, but he went on to win and claim the Breydon Challenge Cup, with Yapp second and Woodcock third.
In the club race, the forecast had obviously reduced numbers but five Norfolks started in relatively quiet conditions, if a little drizzly, and enjoyed a full three-round course. Sam Woodcock soon took the lead in B20 Kelpie, crewed by Sam Archer, followed by Mackley in Lucifer beyond repair and they finished in that order. There were place changes between Johnson sailing Coot, crewed by Wendy Bush, and Yapp sailing Dodman. Johnson went on to take third place. On handicap the positions remained unchanged.
At Snowflake Sailing Club, the temperature at the start of the day was two degrees, the rain sleety and the wind sadly far less than forecast. Yet on such a dismal morning seven intrepid dinghy sailors were at the start line.
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Race officer James Patience and safety boat driver Tim Wildman set a shorter course to keep all sailors in sight of the clubhouse. In truth, the race was close at the front but slower boats got left out. Matthew Thwaites' Laser won with son Tom second in his Topper and the Fireball of Edward Wildman and Oscar Norris third.
In the second race, three Lasers took the honours – first was Toby Pearce, second Matthew Thwaites and third Curtis Drew.
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A unanimous decision to call it a day at lunchtime saw Paddy Wildman quickly aggregate the results for the final points races of this season – Thwaites' Laser came out first, Edward and Oscar's Fireball second and Drew's Laser the third slot.