2011 Frostbite Sailing Series

Frostbite Dinghy Series 2011 Final Report:

Frostbite Dinghy Series 2011
Frostbite sailing has finished for 2011. A full list of results are available here.

Frostbite race report 2011:
NQYC dinghy racing began with the New Year Series sailed on 2 January with 10 boats competing. This is the first time the club has raced at New Year. The series winner was Ben Davies. Race1: 1 Nick James, Laser, 2 Ben Davies, Laser; 3 Trystan Seal, Laser. Race 2: 1 Tom Powell, Phantom; 2 Liz Howell/Jennifer Davies, Laser 2000; 3 Ben Davies, Laser.

There was a frost free start to the annual Frostbite Dinghy Racing series on Sunday 23 January with 23 boats competing in the first event. The 2 races in light wind gave the 36 sailors – from expert to novice, in 12 different dinghy classes – a gentle start to the competition. This open event attracts NQYC members from London, the Midlands, South Wales and from other sailing clubs in Ceredigion. Results: Race 1: 1 Nick White/ Brian Milford, Wayfarer; 2 Liz Howell, Laser; 3 Richard Steenburg, Laser. Race 2: 1 N White/ B Milford, Wayfarer; 2 Ben Davies, Laser; 3 Liz Howell, Laser.

A southerly breeze over a flat sea on 20 February enticed 22 boats to compete in races 4 and 5 Crews were keen to get out on the water after the disappointment of cancelled races (3, 4) a fortnight ago in gale force winds. The south wind enabled a start line to be set a the Pier Head giving onlookers a close up view of the racing which included some thrills and spills in the gusts. Results race 5: 1 Nick Evans, Georgie Whiteside, Laser 2; 2 Ben Davies, laser; 3 nick white/ Brian Milford, Wayfarer. Race 6 :1 N White/ B Milford, Wayfarer; 2 Ben Davies, laser; 3 Nick Evans/ Georgie Whiteside, Laser 2.

The forecast for Sunday’s races at New Quay, 6 March was for little or no wind and kayaking was being considered as an alternative activity but it all changed on the day. The gentle SE breeze at 9am became a fresh wind by 11am when the first race started which gradually, after an hour on the water the wind became a gentle breeze once again as the sailors in the 22 boats vied for position in the second race on a flat sea in glorious sunshine. Results, Race 1: 1 Nick White/ Brian Milford, Wayfarer; 2 Ceri Knapgate/ Tesni Clare, Bahia; 3 Nick James, Laser. Race 2: 1 Nick White/ Brian Milford, Wayfarer; 2 Ceri Knapgate/ Tesni Clare; 3 Richard Steenburg, Laser.

The penultimate event in the winter series was held on 20 March in a fresh southerly wind with 19 boats competing. The sharp gusts caught many crews out and the escort boats had a busy morning attending capsizes and inversions standing by as crews righted their craft and raced on. Wayfarer sailors Nick White and Brian Milford took the conditions in their stride with wins in both races and now have a substantial lead in the overall points score in the series with one event remaining. They are closely followed by the 2 Bahias sailed by Ceri Knapgate/ Tesni Clare and Mark Willis /Sam Coles. Results: Race 1:1 N White/ B Milford, Wayfarer; 2 C Knapgate/Tesni Clare, Bahia; 3 Richard Steenberg, Laser. Race 2: N White/ B Milford, Wayfarer; 2 Crawford Mcleary/Kathy Hayes, Laser 2000; 3 Mark Willis/ Sam Coles, Bahia. A new class to the series, a Devon Yawl, Kester Laver/ Heather Summers was 4th in both races.

The last races in the series were held on Sunday 3 April in light winds with heavy showers. First place was already decided, but the other places could still have changed by the last 2 races. More than 22 boats competed with 2 eighteen-foot catamarans sailing up from Tresaith to join in.

The Frostbite Overall trophy was won by Nick White/ Brian Milford, Wayfarer; 2 Ceri Knapgate / Tesni Clare, Bahia; 3 Richard Steenberg, Laser who as also first single handed sailor; 4 Tom Powell, Phantom; 5 Mark Willis/Sam Coles, Bahia. First Aber Uni boat: James Law/Sarah Carmichael, Laser 2.

The prizes were presented after the sailors were fortified with soup and cake in the Crows Nest, by the Commodore, Peter Thomas. Peter expressed the gratitude of all to the escort boat crews, Stuart Forsythe, Kevin & James Dobson, Nigel & Jan Howes, Gerald Cooper, Owen Jones Williams; also to Liz Masters for soup and Gemma Gill for cakes, mike Masters for calculating the results. Mike in turn thanked Peter for his sterling work in the ‘Blob’ committee boat for the whole series.

2011 is the 8th annual Frostbite Sailing Series, to read previous reports see Frostbite 2010