A record entry of 103 boats made a spectacular sight at Chichester YC on Sunday 4 November for the start of the Snowflake Winter series. The patchy north-westerly winds were a little on the light side for most competitors, but were a gentle introduction to big fleet sailing for the many junior sailors who were encouraged by the free entry to the series.

The newly adopted Optimist class celebrated its first appearance in the Snowflake with eight boats taking part. However, the largest class of the day was the Laser with 18 boats closely followed by the 14 Merlin Rockets.

In the first race for the Fast Handicap fleet, several boats were over eager at the start and were eliminated leaving Peter and Manda Robson winners in their RS400, ahead of the Merlins of Alan Warren and Pat Blake. Other front runners were eliminated when they sailed the wrong course, not passing through the gate at the end of each lap. Among the premature starters in the first race was William Warren from Shoreham who made amends by winning the second race by six seconds from his father, Alan. But it was Alan who was at the top of the leader board at the end of the day followed by the Merlins of Pat Blake and John Cooper.

The largest fleet was in the Medium handicap where the 43 boats crowded the start but all got away cleanly. David and Josie Greening in their National 12, found the light wind to their liking and dominated both races giving them the best possible start to the series.

Previous winner, Steve Lee, in his Laser ended the day in second position with two thirds just ahead of Chris Mayo, also in a Laser. In the Slow Handicap, Toppers took the top places with Will Kerr of the home club ending ahead with a second and first. The other race winner was Mikaela Meik from Lancing SC in her Topper but it was her sister, Natasha, who finished the day in second place overall, making an excellent day for the Lancing club.

The Optimists all showed considerable courage sailing in company with the much larger and faster boats from all fleets and quickly found their feet. Harriet Marsden from Chichester YC was in fourth place overall at the end of the day, in her Optimist, with an excellent third place in the slightly stronger winds of the second race.

The leading Mirrors in seventh and eighth places overall after two races were sailed by sailors normally seen in Optimists, George Yeoman with Charles Crane crewing and Ollie Sloper and Alex Horton. Races three and four in the series will be sailed on Sunday 18 November.

Results

Fast Handicap

1st race

1 RS400 Peter and Manda Robson

2 Merlin Alan Warren and Liam Dempsey

3 Merlin Pat and Anna Blake

2nd race

1 Merlin William Warren and Rachel Cooper

2 Merlin Alan Warren and Liam Dempsey

3 Merlin Simon Blake and Linton Jenkins

Medium Handicap

1st race

1 National12 David and Josie Greening

2 Solo Derek Jackman

3 Laser Steve Lee

2nd race

1 National12 David and Josie Greening

2 Laser Chris Mayo

3 Laser Steve Lee

Slow Handicap

1st race

1 Topper Mikaela Meik

2 Topper Will Kerr

3 Natasha Meik

2nd race

1 Topper Will Kerr

2 Topper Richard Clare

3 Optimist Harriet Marsden