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Zhik 2024 December

The Imperial Icicle 2025 Team Racing at Queen Mary Sailing Club

by Henry Hollingworth 27 Feb 01:31 PST 22-23 February 2025

Last weekend saw Imperial College Sailing Club host its annual team racing competition: the Imperial Icicle at Queen Mary Reservoir.

With twenty different teams from across the country, including two teams from Dublin, filling Travelodge's, Airbnb's and friend's floors on the Friday night, it was set to be the largest competition in the club's history. Our members had spent the last two weeks repairing fibreglass, cleaning our flights' hulls and moving UCL and Brunel Sailing Clubs' boats from their reservoirs to ours. Twenty-four boats and innumerable spare parts were assembled for a weekend of intense racing!

Saturday saw us get through one hundred races with a start almost every 3 minutes thanks in large part to our alumni, Charlie Lidbury's heroic efforts in streamlining the race scheduling process with the development of imperialicicle.com a web app he hopes will be used at many more university team racing events in the future. Competitors would often hear a drone buzzing overhead collecting valuable race footage and it was a common sight to see competitors crowded around in the club cafeteria reliving their winning conversions. The afternoon brought sunshine and music to the pontoon with ABBAs greatest hits putting teams in the racing mindset.

The forecast for Sunday predicted wind squalls and upon arrival at the clubhouse the red "advanced conditions" flag was flying. Nonetheless, boats were quickly launched and despite the tough weather, teams quickly made their way through another forty races of the round robin. Capsizes and breakages plagued the day with our two bosuns constantly running through the boat park with everything from rudders to sails and masts. The sporting conditions did nothing to diminish morale and it was lovely to see so many smiles on and off the water (even post-capsize!).

We moved swiftly through to semis as the wind continued to build and breakages forced us to retire twelve boats. Unfortunately, we only got through four races before the wind took its toll and a leaking boat and snapped forestay brought an abrupt end to the day. The winning teams were determined from the results of the round robin discarding the results of semis.

Trinity College Dublin won the event doing an impressive job of drinking their prizes before their flight back to Ireland. Sevenoaks Pirate Hawks and University College Dublin filled out the top three. The overwhelming response from participants was that it was an incredibly well organised event with all our volunteers doing Imperial proud.

Like all university competitions, none of this could have been organised without the tireless work of our entire club and we benefitted from the thriving community of sailors across London with assistance from UCL, Brunel, the London Castaways and Queen Mary Sailing Club. We are also ever grateful to the umpires who give up their time every weekend to make sure the ever-competitive team racers do their spins and in this case Nigel Vick who also managed to snap some incredible photos of the event.

As the popularity of university sailing continues to grow, events like this need a streamlined system for scheduling and results. This weekend we were able to do away with the crumpled schedules and complex results spreadsheets of years gone by with Charlie's new yet-to-be-named system available at imperialicicle.com. At the moment he is offering this service for free as he irons out the wrinkles so if you're running an event soon make the most of it and reach out to him at !

The results of the Icicle are available below and if you're interested in participating next year contact us at !

Overall Results:

RTeamResultBoat resultsVBoat resultsResultTeam
1Emirates Team KickflipWin162vs435LossPlymouth Black
2Portsmouth BlueLoss365vs421WinCambridge Green
3Sevenoaks Pirate HawksWin321vs546LossDurham Bubblegum Pink
4Portsmouth BrownWin123vs546LossUCLove
5Emirates Team KickflipWin412vs365LossImperial White
6Bath Matte BlackLoss456vs132WinCambridge Green
7Durham Bubblegum PinkLoss524vs631WinUCD
8Portsmouth BrownWin213vs465LossBrunel Blue
9Solent BlackWin523vs641LossImperial White
10Durham WhiteWin342vs651LossBath Matte Black
11OxfordLoss645vs312WinUCD
12Brunel BlueLoss564vs213WinTCD
13UCL PurpleWin216vs453LossSolent Black
14Durham WhiteLoss456vs123WinRutland Rockets
15Bath Glossy WhiteLoss465vs123WinOxford
16TCDWin143vs265LossNorthern RoyalT
17Portsmouth BlueLoss354vs126WinUCL Purple
18Sevenoaks Pirate HawksWin251vs346LossRutland Rockets
19UCLoveWin162vs543LossBath Glossy White
20Northern RoyalTWin631vs425LossPlymouth Black
21Brunel BlueLoss645vs321WinOxford
22Cambridge GreenLoss635vs412WinImperial White
23Solent BlackWin423vs615LossUCD
24Portsmouth BrownLoss643vs251WinRutland Rockets
25UCLoveWin312vs564LossBrunel Blue
26Durham WhiteLoss643vs215WinImperial White
27Portsmouth BlueLoss463vs152WinUCD
28Rutland RocketsLoss356vs412WinTCD
29UCLoveLoss365vs142WinPlymouth Black
30Durham WhiteLoss654vs213WinEmirates Team Kickflip
31Portsmouth BlueWin521vs643LossBath Glossy White
32Durham Bubblegum PinkLoss654vs132WinTCD
33UCL PurpleWin421vs365LossPlymouth Black
34Sevenoaks Pirate HawksWin241vs563LossEmirates Team Kickflip
35Bath Matte BlackWin251vs643LossBath Glossy White
36Durham Bubblegum PinkLoss362vs541WinNorthern RoyalT
37Cambridge GreenLoss563vs241WinUCL Purple
38Sevenoaks Pirate HawksWin312vs654LossSolent Black
39Bath Matte BlackLoss564vs321WinPortsmouth Brown
40OxfordLoss543vs261WinNorthern RoyalT
41UCLoveLoss645vs123WinTCD
42UCL PurpleLoss326vs415WinImperial White
43Durham WhiteLoss634vs521WinPortsmouth Blue
44Rutland RocketsWin231vs654LossBath Glossy White
45UCLoveLoss635vs142WinNorthern RoyalT
46Emirates Team KickflipWin126vs354LossUCL Purple
47Sevenoaks Pirate HawksLoss1132vs654WinPortsmouth Blue
48Durham Bubblegum PinkWin132vs654LossBath Glossy White
49Brunel BlueLoss645vs231WinNorthern RoyalT
50Cambridge GreenLoss354vs216WinEmirates Team Kickflip
51Sevenoaks Pirate HawksWin321vs645LossBath Matte Black
52Durham Bubblegum PinkWin163vs452LossPortsmouth Brown
53Brunel BlueLoss354vs162WinPlymouth Black
54Cambridge GreenLoss465vs123WinSolent Black
55Bath Matte BlackLoss546vs132WinUCD
56Portsmouth BrownLoss346vs521WinOxford
57Imperial WhiteLoss364vs215WinPlymouth Black
58Durham WhiteLoss564vs123WinSolent Black
59Rutland RocketsLoss265vs431WinUCD
60TCDWin241vs653LossOxford
61Cambridge GreenWin251vs634LossBath Glossy White
62Northern RoyalTWin412vs653LossImperial White
63Portsmouth BlueWin431vs256LossUCLove
64Rutland RocketsWin132vs456LossPlymouth Black
65Portsmouth BrownLoss165vs234WinCambridge Green
66Emirates Team KickflipWin342vs156LossNorthern RoyalT
67Portsmouth BlueLoss456vs321WinOxford
68Sevenoaks Pirate HawksWin514vs362LossPlymouth Black
69Portsmouth BrownLoss356vs142WinUCL Purple
70Emirates Team KickflipWin152vs463LossBrunel Blue
71Bath Matte BlackLoss463vs521WinOxford
72Sevenoaks Pirate HawksWin352vs614LossUCD
73TCDLoss354vs612WinUCL Purple
74Brunel BlueLoss643vs152WinSolent Black
75Bath Matte BlackLoss456vs231WinDurham Bubblegum Pink
76Durham WhiteLoss546vs321WinUCD
77TCDWin231vs564LossImperial White
78UCLoveLoss645vs231WinSolent Black
79Durham Bubblegum PinkLoss615vs324WinRutland Rockets
80Durham WhiteWin142vs563LossBath Glossy White
81Cambridge GreenLoss536vs142WinPlymouth Black
82Imperial WhiteLoss346vs215WinUCD
83Portsmouth BlueLoss564vs312WinPortsmouth Brown
84Rutland RocketsWin123vs1456LossBrunel Blue
85Durham WhiteLoss465vs213WinCambridge Green
86Emirates Team KickflipLoss435vs261WinUCD
87Portsmouth BlueLoss654vs213WinTCD
88Durham Bubblegum PinkWin123vs645LossBrunel Blue
89Durham WhiteLoss456vs123WinUCL Purple
90Emirates Team KickflipWin312vs564LossBath Glossy White
91Bath Matte BlackLoss456vs132WinTCD
92Durham Bubblegum PinkWin251vs364LossUCLove
93Sevenoaks Pirate HawksLoss452vs163WinUCL Purple
94Bath Glossy WhiteLoss654vs321WinSolent Black
95Bath Matte BlackLoss654vs123WinNorthern RoyalT
96UCLoveLoss635vs214WinOxford
97Sevenoaks Pirate HawksWin213vs465LossImperial White
98Portsmouth BrownWin123vs564LossSolent Black
99Rutland RocketsWin162vs354LossNorthern RoyalT
100OxfordWin314vs256LossPlymouth Black
101Durham Bubblegum PinkWin143vs265LossPortsmouth Blue
102Bath Glossy WhiteLoss666vs132WinUCD
103Cambridge GreenLoss635vs421WinTCD
104UCLoveWin523vs164LossImperial White
105Portsmouth BlueLoss165vs234WinRutland Rockets
106Sevenoaks Pirate HawksWin321vs666LossBath Glossy White
107Cambridge GreenWin354vs1261LossNorthern RoyalT
108UCLoveLoss465vs213WinEmirates Team Kickflip
109Bath Matte BlackLoss465vs123WinRutland Rockets
110Sevenoaks Pirate HawksWin312vs654LossPortsmouth Brown
111UCL PurpleLoss435vs621WinNorthern RoyalT
112Emirates Team KickflipLoss452vs316WinOxford
113Bath Matte BlackLoss643vs125WinPlymouth Black
114Durham WhiteLoss645vs132WinPortsmouth Brown
115Brunel BlueLoss654vs132WinUCL Purple
116OxfordWin125vs346LossSolent Black
117UCDWin214vs653LossPlymouth Black
118Durham WhiteLoss654vs312WinTCD
119Brunel BlueLoss614vs532WinImperial White
120Durham Bubblegum PinkLoss561vs325WinSolent Black
121Portsmouth BlueWin621vs354LossNorthern RoyalT
122Rutland RocketsWin152vs463LossOxford
123Sevenoaks Pirate HawksWin514vs3216LossCambridge Green
124Portsmouth BrownWin136vs542LossImperial White
125Portsmouth BlueWin312vs465LossBrunel Blue
126Durham Bubblegum PinkLoss453vs261WinOxford
127Cambridge GreenLoss436vs215WinUCD
128Portsmouth BrownLoss364vs125WinEmirates Team Kickflip
129Bath Matte BlackLoss624vs135WinBrunel Blue
130Durham Bubblegum PinkLoss236vs514WinPlymouth Black
131UCL PurpleLoss346vs521WinUCD
132Emirates Team KickflipLoss546vs321WinTCD
133Bath Matte BlackLoss643vs215WinUCLove
134Durham WhiteLoss345vs126WinPlymouth Black
135Bath Glossy WhiteLoss666vs132WinUCL Purple
136TCDWin125vs346LossSolent Black
137UCLoveLoss463vs512WinRutland Rockets
138Sevenoaks Pirate HawksWin512vs634LossDurham White
139Bath Glossy WhiteLoss666vs123WinImperial White
140Solent BlackLoss654vs312WinNorthern RoyalT

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