Sprint 15 TT at Draycote Water Sailing Club

Baby polar goes to his mum: 'Mum, mum, am I really a polar bear?'

Mum: 'Of course you are darling, I gave birth to you, I am a polar bear, your dad's a polar bear, now get on and eat your fish.'

A few days later baby polar says to his dad: 'Dad, dad, am I really a polar bear?'

Dad: 'Of course you are son, you have white fur so that you a camouflaged against the snow, you have big feet for walking on the snow, and I am your dad and I am also a polar bear.'

A week or so later baby bear is talking with his grandma and granddad: 'Granny, Granddad, am I really a polar bear?'

Grandma and Granddad: 'Of course you are baby bear. All our family are polar bears and we live at the North Pole where we can swim, walk on ice and catch and eat fish and seals, you have white fur to camouflage you against the snow, you have big feet to help you walk on the snow, and you mum and dad are both your parents, why do you ask?

Baby Polar Bear: 'Because I am flippin freeeezzin!'

We knew that the forecast was going to be cold. Some correspondence on the Sprint 15 website confirmed there was no ice formed on the lake the preceding week, but even this didn't quite do justice to how cold it felt once we all had de iced and rigged and got onto the water. [Pouring some water over my inspection hatch covers to break the seal before launching was a mistake as it just froze on the hulls.

Considering the forecast, and the distances traveled, there was a good turnout of 19 boats and the home fleet managed to muster 7 boats. As usual, a number of regulars shame us with their dedication to this series, traveling from far and wide. Having the races back to back helped and I think this format will be retained by popular demand from these travelers.

If Draycote were not going to beat Carsington in the inter-fleet rivalry with seven boats, we may as well just outnumber them and create a lot of moving obstacles. Although first time racer from Draycote, Phil Taylor, managed to finish both races without getting in the way!

The first race set by Race officer Justin Edwards was started on a short line in poor visibility, where the windward mark was just visible. The fleet got off cleanly. As soon as the boats got moving and some spray started to hit the tramp and hulls it became apparent that several of the fleet were sliding around the tramp on the tacks and that travelers and sheets were becoming stiff, along with some foodstuffs taken onto the water to sustain us all, as the two races were back to back.

The second race was started again on the crowded line, but without major incident, and was finished in a freshening breeze. Stuart Snell of Grafham was enjoying himself closely followed by youngster Robin Newbold, who the race officers commented had made several places on one lap, and Carsington veteran Robert England showed the other sport sailors how it should be done!

All the competitors were pleased to get ashore and defrost in the showers. Some just headed for the showers to warm up before packing boats away.

I think we can safely say this has been the coldest race this year, but with the Queen Mary and Grafham events to come who knows? However, warm welcomes and companionship around the country from our fellow Sprint 15 sailors keeps the competition alive and our fleet developing.

Overall Results: