WSC’s winter series drew to a close on Sunday with some chilly racing for the national Squibs and IRC 3 and 4 handicap fleets.
Steve Dadd’s Rumrunner has been setting the pace this season for the IRC 4 fleet and didn’t disappoint on Sunday with a first place to take the series. Al Doughty’s Pepper of Kinsale and Mark Talbot in Effusion earned second and third.
In IRC 3, Richard Woof’s Jo 90 did not even need to compete as she had the series sewn up. Even so she scored another first place, taking the trophy with a fourth straight win. Kathy Claydon in Arcsine and Gary Owens in Bon Vacances tied for second on points but Arcsine took second after countback.
Simon Vines, although having recently sold his Squib Quantum to a fellow club member, has again dominated and won the series, with Iain Jones in Aldebaran taking second. Iain sailed with a new crew, Wendy Smythe, who did a great job despite not having sailed a Squib for quite a few years.
The dinghy fleet completed their Saturday series with Mark Lee grabbing the bragging rights in his Solo. Phil and Ali Ashworth took their Merlin Rocket to a very close second with literally seconds deciding outcomes.
A notable mention for third-placed Emma Stevenson in her Laser Radial who scored five straight wins in the series and might have been placed higher had she not missed some races. Emma also travelled up to Berkshire the previous weekend with veteran club member Tim Bowden to compete in the Datchet Flyer on Tim’s Osprey dinghy. Their efforts were rewarded with an 8th place out of 72 boats. Emma also picked up the award for 1st lady helm.
Around midday on Boxing Day, the harbour will reverberate to the sound of cannon fire as the final event of the year takes place.
The Ice Breaker and Frostbite trophies will be sailed for out in the bay, with the finish line outside of the club’s Nothe Parade clubhouse.
Members of the public are invited down to cheer the boats whilst they make their way up the river to the finish line.
If the wind is in the east then the colourful sight of boats using their spinnakers will be an extra bonus.
