Ice Bucket Trophy attracts British Moths

by Tamesis Club Event media on 25 Mar 2008 Bitterly cold northerly winds gusting at over 40 knots, a sharp overnight frost and snow flurries severely reduced the enthusiasm of both club members and visitors for this year's Easter Regatta at Tamesis and entries were down to 14 - one of the smallest for many years.

The strongest winds were on Saturday 22 March when the Officer of the Day, John Adams, Rear Commodore Sailing, first postponed and then wisely abandoned racing for the day. By Sunday morning 23 March the wind had dropped to a light westerly with occasional snow showers and five British Moths set off on the first of three races for the appropriately named Ice Bucket Trophy.

The eventual winner was local helmsman Rob Wilder, sailing Proper Job (846), who collected three firsts, with the best two counting for overall points. Colin Hall, of Hunts SC, was second overall with three seconds. The wind strengthened and veered to the north in the afternoon to give a fast run upriver, with a difficult dogleg from the Surrey to the Middlesex bank that provided good viewing for spectators sheltering in the warmth of the clubhouse, and a downstream beat.

Mike Stephens and Doug Pope won the Merlin Cup with two firsts in Luka (3560) and Ken Duffell and John Adams were second in Harry (3599) scoring a fourth and second after some impressive spinnaker handling. The Bryan Evans Cup went to Stewart Colley, the winning Laser, in Grey Dove (17688) counting a second and a first, with Henry Defries second in Limelight (42169).

Results:

British Moths -
1 Proper Job (846) Rob Wilder, Tamesis, 2 points;
2 Ockams Razor (856) Colin Hall, Hunts SC, 4 points;
3 Scruff (871) Roger Witts, Frampton on Severn SC, 6 points.

Merlin Rockets -
1 Luka (3560) Mike Stephens and Doug Pope, Tamesis, 2 points;
2 Harry (3599) Ken Duffell and John Adams, Tamesis, 6 points;
3 Smart Cookie (3559) Peter and Richard Mason, Tamesis,

Lasers -
1 Grey Dove (17688) Stewart Colley, 3 points;
2 Limelight (42169) Henry Defries, Tamesis, 5 points.

http://www.tamesisclub.co.uk/Racereports.htm