The Latest Solo Racing in the Frostbite Series 29-Jan-17
Back again at Chew after his fantastic results at the Nationals, Alex Corby led from start to finish in the first race on Sunday. Did you know that Alex has recently made the shortlist for the GBR Skeleton team at the next Winter Olympics? Watch this space!
With a south easterly breeze and a club line, the start was all about controlling the pin end. I set up first, but with just seconds to go Graham managed to get his bow to leeward of my transom and I was left with a split second decision: whether to power out and jibe around to join the back of the fleet; or to hang on and risk my luck on Graham’s kindness. No reflection on my opponent but I played it safe and chose the former. And as the hooter went and went again, it was Steve P who was adjudged over the line, both Graham and Alex C shot off into clear air and crossed the tail end of the fleet on port.
The wind was surprisingly patchy and the water uncharacteristically lumpy over the length of the first beat. Graham initially found some good pressure on the right, but as the wind strengthened Alex C found a helpful band of breeze in the middle of the course and keeping his boat perfectly flat, he stormed out into the lead. I then chanced upon yet more breeze on the left and managed to catch up with Graham closely followed by Chris M who was going impressively fast in his beautifully varnished wooden steed.
Downwind it was difficult to predict where the pressure would be strongest and I saw Steve trying out some bold strategies in an attempt to make up distance from behind. However in the final reckoning it was Alex C first, Graham second and myself third.
By the time of the second race the wind had picked up and we were treated to a relatively steady south easterly gusting between 10 and 15 knots. This time Graham managed to get the best start and had pulled away from each of Alex C, Steve P and myself come the windward mark however there were big gains to be made by finding the best channel of wind on the broad reaches that followed and we were a tightly knit group at the end of the first lap. After a weak mark rounding I dropped back a bit but I was delight to observe a needle match between the first three. In the end it was Steve who just managed to win mark room at each of the leeward buoys and that was enough to give him the final advantage with Alex C second and Graham dropping back to third. Many congratulations to all.
Association Training Day
Thank you for the excellent response to my email regarding the Training Day. Graham Cranford-Smith one of the most experienced sailors in the Solo Fleet and one of the National Solo Class Association’s Official Trainers has very kindly offered to be our master in charge for the day.
However with a number of you unable to make a date in June and with some free space in the diary, we have gone for the much earlier date of Saturday the 18th of February!
I hope this is acceptable for the majority of you who said you were keen and would be most grateful if you can please now confirm by email if you are able to make this date.
I will confirm all the finer details over the next couple of weeks but in the meantime do also have a think about what you would like the day to focus on / include.
Look forward to seeing you on the start line again next Sunday.
Alexx
