Typhoon Winter Classics round-up

The circuit involved over 500 boats, racing on lakes, sea and estuary in conditions from a drifter to gale force.

The first Typhoon Winter Classic circuit sponsored by Typhoon International, in association with madfor sailing, finished last weekend with the Hoo Freezer. The overall victor was Simon Allen sailing an International Canoe.

For Allen, who took part in all four events, this was an excellent result with sustained top sailing over a variety of conditions and venues.

The opening event was the Grafham Grand Prix which had a 200 boat entry. Sailed over a very cold weekend, with snow showers in the area before the racing, the wind was sufficient to give good racing without dunking too many.

Allen, and Phil Laycock sailing a Finn taking the Typhoon wet suit prizes. Other winners were 29er World Champion John Pink, sailing a Musto Skiff and Charles Apthorp, the Flying Fifteen World Champion.

Other names that were to feature later in the series were Mark Brewster, Laser, second here and Andrea Brewster, Europe, in seventh, Vince Hoary took a second with his Fireball and Martin Harrison in his International Moth was down in 24.



At the second event, the Bloody Mary, it was very different - the major problem was actually seeing the competitors at all. Queen Mary was shrouded in fog throughout the race, which was a drifter.

A group of 2.4mR mini keelboats led from the first mark, it was reported, and hung on to the end as Ossie Stewart's A-Rater appeared majestically out off the mist, but just failed to catch the leading pair. The Bloody Mary overall prize and the Typhoon prizes of Riot Steamer wet suits went to George Barker in first and Martin Pascoe second, with Ossie Stewart third.

For Typhoon circuit purposes handicap group winners were calculated and this was to be Simon Allens worst result, a twelfth place. Phil Laycock had an eleventh, but moving into the chase were Harrison with a sixth, Dave Hall, B14/29er, getting a fourth and Steve and Katie Restall, RS200 with a fifth.



On to the Weston Warm Up and here the first day was lost to the gales sweeping the south coast and racing was restricted to two races on the Sunday.

The flat water conditions were ideal for Simon Allen's Canoe and he added another win, but Harrison took a second as did Andrea Brewster. Vince Hoary missed this one but another Fireball, that of Neville Herbert, claimed a first. Dave Hayes, B14, added a third to his fifth at Grafham to be in contention and Mark Brewster added a third to his second from Grafham.

Winner of the Typhoon Riot Steamer wet suit prizes were Stuart Gummer and Chris Rashley in a Spitfire.



And so to the final event at Hoo Ness YC. Simon Allen won the Saturday practice race but on the Sunday it was the RS800 of Paul Jenkins and Colin Hatton that stormed away to take the overall Hoo Freezer and the Typhoon prizes.

But, in the overall circuit calculations Allen was again a winner as was Vince Hoary, returning to the fray, but needing Allen to have finished out of the leaders to take the overall prize. Likewise Harrison, he took a third but it was not enough and he had to be content with second on the overall circuit.

Andrea Brewster had a fourth to finish fourth overall, one point behind Horey, and Hall finished fifth overall, while the Restalls took sixth and Herbert was seventh, Hoo winner Jenkins finished eighth on the circuit.

This was a first effort at combining these very different, major winter events into a competitive circuit. With such a large entry for some of the events, who will only do that one event the overall circuit would have had little relevance, but for the leading group it was an obvious spur. The clubs were pleased with the interest engendered and the prizewinners were certainly happy.

We received requests for involvement in the circuit from several events that could not be fitted in this time, but with a longer lead time it should be possible to organise say a six event circuit, with three to count, and a better choice of the group splits in those events - opening up the potential winning group.

Let us have your opinion as a competitor or as a potential event for next winter.

Check the links for action shots from the various events.

Results on page 2 onwards......