Upper Tamar Lake Sailing Club race report — Sunday, November 6

Frostbite Six

TEN intrepid sailors – in seven boats – started a race on a day when the sun shone without warming anything and the winds blew strongly.

Vicki Duncalf, in her nice new Topper, was first over the line but Steve Axford (Laser Radial) soon took charge. It was a tight bunch beating up to Inlet, with four boats tacking early to get out of the others’ dirty air, only to find that the hill was blanketing the north wind and that getting round the buoy was an unpredictable business.

The three late tackers had more time in open water and did better at the buoy. Steve still led a procession away from West, but coming up to Pinky, two bunches formed.

Sue Murray (Laser 4.7) was the only one with a chance of contesting Steve’s lead. The two Bosun’s led the next group of four with Vicki in the rear. Rounding Dam Green separated the two Bosuns with the Pollard/Gilbert/Chadney boat making an awkward tack. It was the Hilton/Dabbs Bosun that messed up rounding Inlet, enabling Brian Pollard to overtake. As the fleet ran back from the top of the lake, black clouds unleashed a brief but violent hail storm; sailors – snug in dry suits – enjoyed its beauty. At the end, Axford was four minutes ahead of Murray. Brian Pollard led Adam Hilton by forty seconds with Nathan Pollard’s Topper close behind. Linda Spiller (Laser Radial) and Vicki Duncalf followed.

1. S Axford (Laser Radial); 2. N Pollard (Topper); 3. S Murray (Laser 4.7); 4. B Pollard, C Gilbert & J Chadney (Bosun); 5. A Hilton & J Dabbs (Bosun); 6. V Duncalf (Topper; 7. L Spiller (Laser Radial)

Icicle Six

STEVE Axford again led away the second race. After heavy tacking (the wind if anything even stronger), Steve still led at Inlet but with Sue Murray close behind.

Nathan Pollard followed with John Dabbs, who’d taken the helm in Adam Hilton’s Bosun next, with Vicki Duncalf and finally Brian Pollard – who got stuck in irons at the buoy – bringing up the rear.

Going from West White, Vicki got ahead of both Bosuns. The first lap ended with Steve still in the lead, Sue a minute behind.

Nathan Pollard tacked wide at Dam Green but stayed ahead of Dabbs and Duncalf. For the second lap, the wind dropped to a force three and the fleet became more strung out.

Nathan and John were the battling pair with Vicki not far behind and Brian bringing up the rear.

The third lap saw that battle continue, but Vicki and Brian also skirmished. The wind came back strongly and raised white horses across the lake, only to be flattened by a shower of rain.

1. N Pollard (Topper); 2. S Murray (Laser 4.7); 3. S Axford (Laser Radial); 4. V Duncalf (Topper); 5. J Dabbs & A Hilton (Bosun); 6. B Pollard, C Gilbert & J Chadney (Bosun)

Thanks were also expressed to the officer of the day, Adeney Pooler.