Scourfield leads in Frostbite series but there’s a long way to go yet

Sunday saw the start of the 15-race Frostbite Series that takes Welland Yacht Club up to Boxing Day.
Sailors were greeted by early morning mist and not a great deal of wind for the first race, but by the time of the start it had cleared and the sun came out to give an enjoyable two races.
There were 11 boats that came under starter’s orders and with the wind blowing slightly across the river it meant a reaching start and getting away in clean air was a priority.
It was Mark Scourfield who judged this and was ahead of Kieron Powell in the Laser, Alan Cox, sporting his new sail, and Adam Stabler both Laser, Helen Boyd in her Solo, William Stabler in the Radial Laser, a step up from his 4.7 Laser rig, Mark Holland in Laser, Gerri Van Haren in the Phantom, Tack and Slator in the Laser2000 and Alan Thompson in the Solo with, first time racing his boat, Jorrit Schrauwers and new crew James Ramp in the Kestral.
By Shelly’s Bush Corner Scourfield had extended his lead and with clean air pulled away as it became a very tight reach to Chilver’s Corner where it became a tack to number 4 buoy halfway down the straight.
Places were changing on the beat but Scourfield rounded first, just ahead of Powell and Holland, Cox, Van Haren and Boyd, who was keeping in touch.
On the off-wind leg back to the clubhouse, the wind started to fill in from behind allowing the chasing bunch to reduce the lead Scourfield had built up.
By the turning buoy on lap one the lead had been reduced by Powell, Cox and Van Haren.
The second lap played out much the same with just under the hour, Scourfield eventually crossing the line first, just six seconds ahead of Powell and Van Haren, just ahead of Cox, Holland, Boyd, Adam Stabler, Will Stabler, Tack and Slator, Thompson, Schurauwers and Ramp.
After handicaps applied it was Scourfield 1st, Powell 2nd, Cox in 3rd and Holland in 4th.
Race two started with the conditions unchanged and wind direction the same so the course remained as race one with Geoff Tibbs in his Solo now joining.
This time as some were line shy it was Cox who took full advantage and made a clear start which he never surrendered. He was followed by Scourfield and Powell who were to have a close tussle round the course, Adam Stabler and Boyd had made a good start and were also in the mix as they made their way to no 4 buoy.
Cox rounded ahead of Powell, Scourfield and with Boyd in close contention it was going to be close for the other placings.
The wind had increased for the second lap and it was at Shelly’s Bush Corner that Holland managed to let go of the tiller and capsized just in front of the Kestral making its way down river.
He was not the only casualty in the swimming stakes, as Powell rounded 4 buoy he gybed and in the process capsized, allowing Scourfield to pass through after asking after his welfare.
Boyd was mounting a challenge now and caught these two up on the last off-wind leg. However Cox was clear and crossed the line first with Powell who had recovered in second Scourfield in third , Boyd fourth, Adam Stabler, Tack and Slator, who had flown their spinnaker for most of the off-wind leg, Holland, Will Stabler, Thompson, who had taken a swim, Tibbs and Schauwers and Ramp.
After handicaps applied it was Cox in first place, Scourfield 2nd, Boyd in 3rd, Powell 4th and a special mention to ever improving Will Stabler in 5th ahead of his dad Adam.
After two races it’s Scourfield in first, Cox 2nd and Powell in 3rd, Boyd in 4th but another 13 to go!