Despite rain and light winds 12 boats lined up for the Brass Monkey Trophy race at Welland Yacht Club on Boxing Day – which also served as both the final race of the 2021 Frostbite Series and the last meeting of the season.
Similar to the previous week, a light north easterly wind was blowing, meaning the boats has to start down river with a short leg from the clubhouse before rounding the first mark and then heading up river.
It was Geri van Haren in his Phantom, who got it spot on and rounded the mark comfortably ahead of the chasing pack.
Andy Agar, in an OK, was next round having gained water at the mark from Andy Prior (Laser) and breaking clear from Mark Scourfield (Solo) and the rest of the pack.
Leader van Haren made good use of the clear air to build on his advantage as the race progressed and was never challenged.
Prior did manage to pull clear of Agar, who was gradually caught by the chasing pack, with Scourfield, Alan Cox (Laser) and Richard Steadman (Laser) gradually making their way up through the fleet.
By the time the boats had completed the long up river leg van Haren was in first, with Prior only just keeping Cox at bay, and then Scourfield only a short distance behind in the slower Solo.#
Gail Follington, in a much slower boat, was also doing well to hold position in her Comet despite its higher handicap.
Further down the fleet Helen Boyd and Nick Bonsor were exchanging places on a regular basis.
The second lap followed a similar order, although Cox almost passed Prior on a number of occasions – which allowed Scourfield to close the gap on both boats as they battled.
At the finish van Haren crossed the line nearly five minutes ahead of Prior, with Cox only seconds behind him, but with handicaps applied Scourfield took the win from Prior, then van Haren and then Cox.
Follington moved up to a well deserved fifth place with Steadman sixth. Alistair Mitchell (Laser) seventh and Agar eighth.
Bonsor was ninth, just ahead of Boyd, with Richard Holland (Laser) finishing 11th and Eric Murray 12th.
In addition to taking the Brass Monkey Trophy (a trophy his father presented to the club in the 1976) Scourfield also took the overall Frostbite Series title from Prior second and Gail Follington third.
Anyone wanting to find out more about sailing over the close season should contact the club via email [email protected] and somebody will get back to you.
