West Kirby Sailing Club Frostbite Series Day 1

Holly Wright in IC 333 during West Kirby Sailing Club Frostbite Series Day 1 © Liz Potter

Sunday morning dawned sunny with a pleasant breeze at West Kirby Sailing Club. 25 boats gathered on the marine lake apron for the first two races of the 14-race frostbite series, which finishes in early December.

Of those competing, 9 were newly graduated novices from this season's "Starting to Race" group; a program which started last winter. The training has been driven by Tony Marston, an International Canoe (IC) sailor with over 50 years of top level racing experience, as a plan to build up the current club handicap racing fleet. One of his novices, Judith Carter had even attended her first open event and also the Lightning Nationals in her first year. She was present on Sunday, along with 4 other Lightnings; the fastest growing class at West Kirby at the moment, thanks to the efforts of Jude and Richard Stratton.

The RO Liz Potter was challenged with the South Westerly wind direction across the long thin lake, making a windward leg tricky. The reaching start provided much entertainment, with a few individuals electing to return to the line as OCS, even though they were not over at the start. The culprit was a lone Lightning who had ventured too far to windward and was stuck in irons, creating a little havoc for the fleet post-start.

Steve Fleming in his IC chasing Andrew Potter in his Phantom during West Kirby Sailing Club Frostbite Series Day 1 - photo © Liz Potter

Of the returning boats, Phantom sailor Andrew Potter whooshed in a ghoulish twirl around the windward line buoy and set off with ghostly speed to chase after the departed fleet. The Laser 2000 of Mike and Anne St Paer also returned and worked hard to recover to 5th place overall on handicap.

New Rules IC sailor Steve Fleming made a more cautious start, chasing Andrew in the Phantom. Once the wind picked up, he enjoyed some speedy chill time on his sliding seat on the comparatively longer downwind legs. Until he met Judith.

To set the scene, by mid-race, the faster boats were encountering the slower boats. The competition was equally fierce in this part of the fleet, with a gaggle of laser radials and lightnings in a tight line approaching their mark on starboard tack. Enter one Steve Fleming in a very bright yellow fast canoe, on port tack, looking for a way across the motorway. Steve picked his victim unwisely, not realising that ex-novice Nationals competitor Judith knew her rights (and lefts for that matter). Judith had to take some serious boat-saving avoidance manoeuvres that were going to cost Steve dearly in flowers, wine and possibly dinner too.

Meanwhile the Phantom disappeared.

Steve Fleming in his IC chasing Andrew Potter in his Phantom during West Kirby Sailing Club Frostbite Series Day 1 - photo © Liz Potter

Leading the rest of the fleet was the IC of Tony Marston, sailed by Canoe newbie Holly Wright. Showing great skill and dexterity, nerve and balance, plus a sprinkle of Canoe insanity that is the hallmark of this fleet, young Holly showed the old and the mighty what a force to be reckoned with she has become, building on her recent win of the Club's Endeavor Trophy against the club's top sailors this autumn.

Another front runner was Martin Hartley in his Solo, who was never lower than 6th place on the water in both of the days' races.

The second race involved a change of course as the wind swung around, allowing two upwind legs per lap. The new course favoured the lasers, with Steve Jardine bagging a 2nd and the GP14 sailed by Alan Jenkins and Bob Thompson, who finished 4th on handicap.

The Phantom and Solo continued to dominate, with Martin Hartley (Solo 5794) leading the series with a 2,1, and Andrew Potter in Phantom 1456 lying a point behind after a 1,3. Steve Fleming was 3rd overall. With a long series ahead, anything can happen as new leaders and challengers wait to emerge.

Results after Day 1: