Icebreaker Final Races & Prize Giving
Published 23:19 on 25 Mar 2025
Icebreaker Final Races & Prize Giving
A sunny but chilly, force 4 to 5, north easterly breeze awaited last Sunday's 19 Intrepid Icebreaker Crews, for the 11th and 12th Final Series Races, to successfully conclude BHYC's 2025 Wight Knuckle Brewery Open Icebreaker Series.
With the shifty and up to 20 kts gusty wind , often heavily influenced by the Duver buildings and blowing diagonally across from the Harbour mouth, only a well-timed reach off the startline paid big dividends by the first mark, laid at the club side of the Crab Cafe, with a short beat north across to 14. then a run south back down the other side of Fisherman's Pontoon, to an Embankment Rd laid mark taken to port and beat back across to channel mark 12, rounding to port and then a flying broad reach back down to H in front of the Clubhouse. Then just a short beat, a final teasing micro tack across to 17 and back through the finish line to complete the lap.
All three classes navigated this same tight course for both of these final 2 races, with a greater number of laps specified for the faster boats. So with both watching Spectators and Racing Crews enjoying the close racing and tacking duels in the gusty conditions ensued, making for some speedy off-wind manoeuvers, precarious sail handling, with obscure boat management strategies to avoid close encounters of the wet kind often resulting in embarrassing positional changes.
However, on completion of the final race, the welcoming Onshore Hospitality of the warm clubhouse beaconed, with good food and drink for the Racing and Patrol Boat Crews on their return and was much appreciated.
The Prizegiving Ceremony in the Clubhouse concluded the event following an enjoyable day's racing, which included our shoreside spectators, dining Members, their Guests, and Our Worthy Competitors.
Following a short Series overview by Polly Schafer RCOnWater and a welcome and introduction by Nigel Van-nufflen our Commodore to the Club, for our special guest Mr. Rob Oglander Owner of Wight Knuckle Brewery and much appreciated Series Sponsor, who enthusiastically awarded the Class Trophies and Kindly donated Wight Knuckle Brewery Products to each of the 5 Class Winners and Runners up.
Overall Class Series Winners are:
- Fast Handicap: 1st Bruce Mayo 2nd Charles Darbyshire 3rd Richard Douglas.
- Slow Handicap: 1st Duncan Bates 2nd Martin Palmer 3rd Phil Wright.
- Scow Class: 1st Martin Davies 2nd Peter Giles 3rd Richard Coleman.
- ILCA 7 (Laser Full Rig): 1st Harry White 2nd Olly Mayo.
- ILCA 6 (Laser Radial Rig): 1st Ollie Smith 2nd Charlie White 3rd Tom Yates.
Please Note: The Full 2025 Wight Knuckle Brewery Icebreaker Results are on the bhyc.org.uk Website under the OnWater Racing Results Section!
Once again many thanks to the Patrol Boat Crews for your volunteering,, call to duty and unfailing support as always, Assistant Race Officer Polly Schafer, Rear Commodore OnWater, for her invaluable Race Box Support, overall event management, together, with a special thanks to Tony Burton our tireless Captain of Racing for the Final Results data and technical organisation of the event and coaching the Island Games competitors .
Finally much appreciation to Club Hospitality for the Bar and Galley service and the willing Competitors for providing the entertainment and enjoyment, for All our Membership and Guests from Yarmouth Sailing Club , Gurnards Sailing Club and Royal Victoria Yacht Club over the past three months
Chris Wilkinson, Race Officer
Last updated 23:19 on 25 March 2025
