Boxing Day saw the final race in Welland Yacht Club’s Frostbite series combined with the individual Brass Monkey Trophy.
With both trophies up for grabs it was a keenly contested race.
Ideal conditions greeted the eight boats on the water and with sunshine and a wind that was steadily increasing, it was going to be a good work-out after the Christmas festivities.
Unfortunately for Sandor in the Laser the wind proved a bit too much and he capsized before the start and was unable to continue but was able to try out his drysuit.
At the start it was Mark Scourfield away first in the Solo closely followed by Andy Prior in the Laser full rig, with Alan Cox in the Laser Radial and Gerri van Haren in the Phantom chasing.
With a beat to rounding number two buoy, it was vital to get clear air and half way up the beat Prior passed Scourfield and rounded the buoy first, followed by Scourfield who just held off the larger Phantom of van Haren, followed by Cox, the Laser of Alistair Mitchell, Graduate of Neil Tack crewed by Rebecca Slator and the festively decorated Solo of Helen Boyd.
With the wind now behind the boats they headed for the clubhouse buoy and Scourfield and van Haren started to catch Prior but not enough to change the positions before the turn.
So with the beat back to the two buoy and clear air, Prior extended his lead again and van Haren sailed into second place and this was the only place change as the boats completed a second lap that at times gave planing conditions in short spells.
Prior crossed the line first and on corrected handicap time did enough to win the Brass Monkey Trophy from Scourfield in second place and Cox in third.
With this race counting towards the Frostbite series as well, it meant that Cox’s third place enabled him to win the series by just the one point from Prior in second and Van Haren in third place.
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