Chichester’s winter sailing series comes to end

A TOTAL of 34 boats turned out on winter solstice day for the final races of Chichester YC’s Frozen Toe series.
Frozen Toe action at Chichester YCFrozen Toe action at Chichester YC
Frozen Toe action at Chichester YC

The brisk breeze allowed race officer Derek Jackman to set a multi-legged course.

In the first race of the day, the fast fleet were give a masterclass in Fireball racing by the European No1 Richard Anderton, who teamed up with Andy Palmer-Felgate.

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The pair hadn’t sailed together since last winter but showed the rest of the fleet a clean pair of heels and extended their margin throughout the three laps, coming home a minute-and-a-half clear of Nick and Roger Elliman’s RS400 and Adrian Brunton’s Devoti D-zero, who moved into third on corrected time.

Some 20 boats came to the line in the medium fleet with Jason and Sonia Kirk’s 2000 dominating, while Emsworth’s Richie Bailey in his Laser and Chichester’s Lucy Boreham in her Europe traded punches for silver and bronze – the margin reduced to 30 seconds on corrected time.

In the slow fleet, Itchenor’s Archie and Will Grant in their Mirror demonstrated they have inherited go-fast genes from their father, former I14 ace Bruce Grant, taking first over CYC’s Sophie Kirk and Isabel Porter in their Toppers with series leader Izzy Loveridge one further back.

In the final race the fast fleet were again led by Anderton and Palmer-Felgate, though Finn sailor Brunton revealed he is rapidly getting to the grips with the D-zero, moving up into second on corrected time over Jonty Freeman and Neil Arnott’s Merlin Rocket. Series leaders the Ellimans were relegated from the top three for the first time.

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The medium fleet had a false start and two boats fell foul of the black-flag rule when the fleet came to the line for the second time.

The Kirks established a commanding lead, enough to save time on handicap over series leaders Nick and Biddy Colbourne in second, while Boreham again claimed third.

In a slow fleet of just three boats, the Grant brothers again enjoyed a good tussle with Kirk and Porter’s Toppers until gear failure forced Kirk out – allowing the Mirror to claim its second bullet of the day over Porter.

Frozen Toe series results: Fast handicap: 1 Nick & Roger Elliman (CYC, RS400), 2 Jonty Freeman & Neil Arnott (Newhaven & Seaford, Merlin Rocket); 3 Gideon & Gilly Ewers (CYC, RS400). 1st veteran: Tony Purser CYC (RS600). Medium handicap: 1 (and overall winners): Nick & Biddy Colbourne (CYC, GP14); 2 Ian Lissamore (CYC, Solo); 3 Guy Mayger (Felpham, Solo); 1st lady Helm Lucy Boreham (CYC, Europe); 1st vet: Ian Lissamore. Slow handicap: 1 Izzy Loveridge (CYC, Topper).