ITCA East Regional Topper Series at Snowflake Sailing Club
by Claudia Savory 26 Jan 22:56 NZDT
14 January 2024
Henry Lambert during the ITCA East Regional Series at Wroxham © John Blackman Northwood
So exciting and biting cold to be at our first ITCA East Regional race event of 2024 at Snowflakes, Wroxham. I had sailed in the summer when it was Norfolk Broads Yacht Club (very Swallows & Amazons) and loved it then but remember it is a tricky place to sail with lots of wind shifts and tourists.
The tourists were gone but the wind shifts were plentiful. All the Snowflakes members were so welcoming and we raced together with several different boat types including Star, Yoeman, Laser, Splash, Solo and other dinghies. Our event consisted of four races. The wind was West North Westerly and light which suited a certain type of sailor!
Races 1 and 2 were longer, we even went ashore for a break in between to warm up.
New to 5.3 Toby Turner took a strong lead in the first race at the windward mark (buoy 3) which continued around buoy 5. The front pack were really spaced out and chasing Toby was Jensen Jakob, Tabitha Blackman Northwood and Harry Wemyss. However local sailor Jensen Jakobs stormed past and took the race with a superb finish followed by Toby Turner 2nd, Theo Chapallaz 3rd, Sofia Eaton 4th and Tabitha Blackman Northwood 5th.
After a hot chocolate and renewed energy there were strong starts in race 2 from Faith Turner, Sally Kerry, Sofia Eaton and Yasmine Braham. However, once again Jensen stormed ahead and rounded the first buoy. There was a change of wind which brought the fleet closer and mixed us all up. During the second lap of race 2 things got exciting as the sailors all bunched up and were moving positions. The sibling rivalry started between the Turner sailors and even a Star boat joined in too which perhaps led the Toppers to head off in different directions as well as the wind shifting to North Westerly which lifted Faith Turner and Tabitha Blackman Northwood. Big sister Faith Turner took 1st place followed by Toby Turner in 2nd place and Tabitha Blackman Northwood 3rd.
After a lovely warm lunch thanks to the Snowflakes Galley everyone was re-energised meanwhile the wind had dropped. This meant that races 3 and 4 were shorter and slower races. No one gave up however and there was a real fight jostling for positions in difficult light wind sailing conditions making crucial decisions about when to tack. But it was Toby Turners tactical decisions on the day that paid off and his remarkable comebacks. Congratulations to siblings Faith and Toby for their first ITCA events in 5.3 and Jensen Jakob too who neatly sandwiched between them with a strong 2nd place overall.
Meanwhile, Henry Lambert and Toby Hailey jostled for positions in the 4.2s with two wins each but Noah Hughes 2nd place in the 3rd race was the deciding factor leading to a narrow win by Henry Lambert.
Congratulations to all the brave sailors for taking part and sticking at it, especially Yasmine Braham who capsized and carried on despite the freezing water.
Overall Results:
4.2
1st Henry Lambert - 268 (Hunts SC)
2nd Toby Hailey - 606 (WOBYC)
3rd Noah Hughes - 310 (Waldringfield SC)
5.3
1st Toby Turner - 169 (Snettisham Beach SC)
2nd Jensen Jakobs - 521 (NBYC)
3rd Faith Turner - 173 (Snettisham Beach SC)
4th Tabitha Blackman Northwood - 568 (Hunts SC)
5th Sofia Eaton - 232 (Snettisham Beach SC)
6th Theo Chapallaz (NBYC)
7th Harry Wemyss - 336 (Hickling Broad SC/Snowflakes SC)
8th Joshua Blackman Northwood - 209 (Hunts SC)
9th Robin Hailey - 605 (WOBYC)
10th Yasmine Braham 509 (NBYC)
11th Claudia Savory - 229 (SBSC)
12th Sally Kerry - 348 (SBSC)