ILCAs in the Frostbite Series 2023/24 at Queen Mary Sailing Club - Week 2

ILCAs in the Frostbite Series week 2 at Queen Mary © QMSC

Queen Mary Sailing Club ILCA fleet continues the winter Frostbite series with Race 3 and 4 Sunday 31st December 2023 and a double bullet for Tony Woods.

Despite the small turnout (it was New Year's Eve after all!) some great racing was had on the second day of the Queen Mary Frostbite Series. Warmish, with a 15-20 knot breeze from the south, and occasional gusts of considerably more! It was great to see some of the young sailors from the Greig City Academy joining us too!

Race 1

With a slight pin end bias David Casale went for the port end flyer, but Guy Noble and Tony Woods were having none of it and made sure he didn't get through. The breeze went even more left so Tony and Guy were well placed. Aiming to get the bow down in the gusts, my first response was to ease the main. Tony led at the windward mark, but 75 kilo Mike Bean tore down the first run and got water on Tony at the leeward mark. Tony got back in the lead on the next beat, but the same thing happened on the reaches - Mike Bean again popped into the lead at the leeward mark. Meanwhile Guy Noble was sailing very fast and closing the gap on the leaders, getting in front of Mike at the end of the next run. At the finish it was Tony, Guy, Mike.

Race 2

The breeze had shifted a bit right so the Race Officer adjusted the course and the line was now probably starboard biased, and we also got lifted as we started. Mike Hicks is always a good competitor in these conditions, but as he sheeted in for the start he managed to slip the kicker line into his ratchet! Never a fast thing to do, particularly in 20 knots as everything jams up. We think maybe turning off the ratchet is the quickest way out of the mess, but it took him 3.5 minutes to untangle himself...

ILCAs in the Frostbite Series week 2 at Queen Mary - photo © QMSC

Meanwhile at the front of the fleet, Tony was pinching in an attempt to force David Casale and Alison Stevens (in a 6) to tack as they were all approaching the lay line. This tactic did not work at all, and Tony came out of it very badly, allowing Guy (who had banged the left corner) to get well ahead. Guy rounded first followed by Mike Bean, David Casale, then Tony, who managed to pull through to second on the second beat. Down the first reach Guy death rolled, much to Tony's delight... Guy must have been going really fast, as despite the capsize he was right up there at the end of the race - podiums were Tony (1st), Guy (2nd) and QM Open Champ Mike Pryer (3rd).

If you fancy some really competitive racing come and join QMs ILCA fleet - the club offer a winter membership - great racing and great value.

Full results: www.queenmary.org.uk/results-2024/frostbite-series-202324-results