Frostbites welcomed visitors from Norfolk Broads Yacht Club for the first leg of the annual team match between the clubs.
Conditions were demanding with a variable, gusty south west wind which produced many place changes over the two back-to-back races.
In the first, Ian Richardson (NBYC) sailing B53 Twinkle and crewed by Sarah Hovey, gradually worked his way to the front closely followed by Matthew Thwaites (NBYC) in B15 Wee Simby, crewed by his son Tom, and they finished in that order with only 11 seconds between the two boats.
A minute later Danny Tyrrell for Frostbites came in third sailing B71 Wild Duck, crewed by Ray Johnson. That gave the visitors eight penalty points against 13 for the home team.
In the second race, following a change of boats and in some cases a reversal of crews and helms, Mike Lees (NFSC) sailing B6 Lucifer beyond repair, crewed by Sam Woodcock, took the lead and held it for most of the race until on the last beat to the finishing line was forced to tack off in a header allowing young Thwaites, in B50 Dodman, close behind to tuck under and head up to the line to take first place, much to the delight of his father but also his grandfather watching from the clubhouse. Third was Richardson, giving the visitors another five-point win and the overall result was a conclusive win for NBYC by 16 points to 26.
In the club race, sailed in much lighter airs, 10 Norfolks started downstream and David Mackley sailing Lucifer beyond repair, crewed by Linda Allen, soon established a significant lead which he held throughout to win by almost four minutes. Second was Sam Woodcock in B50 Kelpie, crewed by Jan Hubbard, and third was Sue Grief, sailing B47 Brambling, crewed by Phil Board. On handicap Sue won with Mackley second and third was Steven Ford, sailing B73 Condor.
Rollesby Broad SC
Race officer Matt Boreham chose to set four gybes on a downwind slalom as opposed to the three previous weeks of long runs.
Race one was bit of a damp squib as the gentle force 2 the race started in came down the broad in varying puffs accompanied by occasional drizzle. Dave Houghton and John Symonds won the Wayfarer race by a margin from Bob Sparrow and Steve Gibbons who only just pipped John Saddington and Dennis Manning for second. In the single-handers David Frary in his Finn slowly pulled away from the fleet of 14, led by the Solos of Robert Hawkins and Ian Ayres to take the win.
In the second race, with the anticipated Storm Freya, only three Wayfarers started; Houghton wobbled down the first short run with Saddington in pursuit; Sparrow already on third, decided to wear round at the first gybe, only to end up in the reeds. Houghton took a somewhat cautious approach from there on but was able to hold on for a narrow win from Saddington.
Snowflake SC
It was the traditional President's Cup day and while Storm Freya threatened, it was a distant thought at the very slight breeze that was blowing at the start of the racing. Race Officer Roger Hannant took the light breeze into account as he set a fairly short course but with a target of four laps. Four Yeoman set off first with seven Lasers following five minutes later. Sailors endured a bit of a slog as slight increases in the wind did not make for a challenging race. After a shortened course, so the target of four was not met, the handicaps applied put Flip Foulds first in Laser My Pants 2, the Yeoman of Paul Barker Brandy Bottle second and Chris Haslam in Laser Perdey third.
In the second race, the same Yeoman set out followed by the Lasers and it was immediately apparent the day was changing rapidly with gusts at 20mph with steady wind three times the speed of the first race. The Yeoman handled this well, but a level of attrition was witnessed amongst the Lasers with three forced to retire after dramatic capsizes and rigging failure.
This race was won, again after handicap, by Yeoman Cherokee, helmed by John Parker and crewed by Jane Pye. Second was Chris Haslam and third Yeoman Brandy Bottle.
That was the end of the racing, and after combining the scores, Haslam was first, Barker second and Parker third.
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