Alton Water 2019 Fox's Chandlery Frostbite Series - Overall

Well, the 2019 Alton Water Frostbite Series certainly went out with a bang! We were not beaten by Beast from the East last year and we weren't beaten by Storm Freya this year either. The forecast for the last day of this nine-week series was very ominous and with the high winds and rain set to arrive any time from lunchtime onwards, the pressure was on to get racing under way as quickly as possible.

Just over forty slightly apprehensive sailors started the first race in a gusty force 3 southerly breeze, which steadily picked up during the course of the race. The plan was for a quick two-lap race but those who had ventured out looked as though they were enjoying themselves so much, having had racing cancelled due to lack of wind the previous week, that the Race Officer sent some of the fleets round for a third lap. There were several capsizes but most finished the race.

By the time the second race started, the wind had picked up considerably to a F4 5 with strong gusts and half a dozen or so decided to call it a day but over thirty stayed out for the grand finale which was shorter. Prize-giving followed swiftly and sailors were able to be home and warm before the worst of the storm hit East Anglia.

In the end, despite several of them not having their best races on the last day, all the fleet series leaders from week seven managed to hold on to their lead due to an additional discard kicking in, apart from Tom and Charlotte Stewart who couldn't do the last two races, so lost out to Matthew Taylor in his RS Aero 5 in the Medium fleet. There were ties at the top of the Fast and Laser fleets, with Robert Portway taking the series win from Alan Krailing/Peter Nicholson and Graham Ireland from Pete Kyne in the Lasers, on countback.

This series is a great way for sailors from across the region to get together during the winter, when there is no racing at their own clubs and this year was no exception with 107 entries from 14 different clubs across Suffolk and Essex, plus young sailors from the adjacent Royal Hospital School. The largest fleet was the Medium with 28 entries and 13 different classes represented, followed by the Asymmetrics, with 26 in total, including 18 very colourful and competitive RS200s. It was also good to see a Slow fleet of 24 boats, including Cadets, Toppers and RS Teras. Despite experiencing extremes of wind during the series, only two races were lost, so 16 out of 18 races were sailed with 5 discards.

The overall series winners were Stephen Videlo and Ethan Davey in their RS200 with Dave Conlon/Sarah Bines in an RS200 second and Pete Kyne in a Laser third. Best club was won by Brightlingsea Sailing Club, with their top three boats of Dave Conlon/Sarah Bines in an RS200, Pete Kyne in a Laser and Alan Krailing/Pete Nicholson in a Merlin Rocket. Waldringfield Sailing Club were second and Alton Water third.

Fox's Chandlery generously sponsored the main prizes and Typhoon provided prizes for the winning club team. The volunteer race team and results co-ordinator were thanked, as well as the Alton Water sailing centre and café staff. Big thanks too to Tim Bees, our stalwart photographer, who captured the highs and lows of the series with his dramatic shots.

Full results of the series so far can be found at www.altonwater.co.uk/index.php?pid=167&series=480&full_series_fleet=480

Tim Bees' photos from the final day can be seen at www.flickr.com/photos/144523097@N07/albums/72157679136902278/page1 and there are more photos on the Alton Water Sailing Facebook page.

Special awards went to:

• 1st Female Helm Alissa Marshall, RS Feva XL
• Perseverance Trophy Benjamin Woodcock, Topper
• Highest placed not in fleet prizes Glen Enkel/Celie Broomfield, Lark

Prizewinners in the Alton Water 2019 Fox's Chandlery Frostbite Series - photo © Emer Berry

Best Club: (Top three overall results to count)

1st Brightlingsea SC
2nd Waldringfield SC
3rd Alton Water SC

Best club team, Brightlingsea SC, in the Alton Water 2019 Fox's Chandlery Frostbite Series - photo © Emer Berry

Results from the final day: (top 3 or 4 in each fleet)