Bough Beech Sailing Club Icicle Open Series - Overall
by Nick Marden 27 Feb 2019 11:48 PST
24 February 2019
Prizewinners at the Bough Beech SC Icicle Open Series © James Maynard
Icicle? What icicle?
The final day of the Bough Beech Open Icicle Series was on 24 February. Light overnight frost melted quickly in what seemed like early summer sun, which came with a mirror calm. A number of top results in both fleets could go either way if racing took place. Among those perhaps hoping for no racing were the Hudsons who had a four point lead in the Asymmetric fleet but could not make this final day's sailing.
Race Officer George Smith looked at the wind forecast, held his nerve and decreed that racing would be postponed until 1330 hrs. He hoped to fit in two short races after that. A light wind obligingly filled in and the series was completed.
In the Asymmetric fleet, Mick and Sarah Whitmore in their RS400 nailed the day with two bullets which was enough to give them a tie for first place overall with Richard and Ian Hudson's 2000, but victory on countback. Matt Fowler and Lynne Ratcliffe's RS200 made up the podium.
Guy Marks and Sam Pygall had a slim mathematical chance of catching fellow Wayfarer sailors John Clementson and Mel Titmus if the latter had a horror of a day but the latter pair made sure, with two comfortable firsts. John Reed's Solo looked a good bet for third overall, especially in view of the favourable Solo conditions, but when Sailwave had factored in average points for the Race Officer, George Smith's RS600 had tied with the Solo for third and had a slightly better countback.
So again it has been a successful Icicle series with all 16 races completed and along the way, winds to suit all comers. The home club were delighted that almost a third of the 88 boats that took part in the series were visitors if perhaps a little rueful that visitors won both adult series walked away with half the glassware.
Full results at www.boughbeechsc.org.uk/race-results