With a very wintry and breezy forecast it was remarkable that 12 National 12s
lined up to take part in the Boxing Day Cup at Royal Harwich YC. Who needs to
go to the Southern Ocean when you have the East Coast on your doorstep? The
freezing conditions were to overcome some before they were even able to launch,
such that 3 boats, although rigged and ready, did not make it on to the water.
Best excuse went to Gerry Ledger who found that his drysuit seals had perished
since he had last used it on Boxing Day last year!

Once launched it was a fast reach out to the start line under a shower of ice
cold spray. Richard Williams & Stella Brown were the first to try the water
temperature after gear failure. Their anguished faces evidently encouraged both
Fran Gifford & Neil Ravenscroft and Malcolm Mackley & Michael Douglas to choose
the immediate option of a hot shower before the race started.

Thankfully for the remaining competitors the race was a quick 2 lap blast around
the channel markers off the club. First to show were Antony Gifford and Jess
Brown, but they were overhauled before the first mark by Jon & Charlotte
Ibbotson. On the reaches, Gifford and Brown took advantage of puffs to close up
on to the Ibbotsons transom.

With ice forming on the decks and in the cockpits, the looming gybe mark did
nothing to inspire confidence. The Ibbotsons had a good wobble but survived,
but Gifford and Brown were not so lucky and enjoyed a quick swim in the Orwell.
Steady and stable, Chris & Derek Mayhew were eyeing their opportunities in the
chasing pack.

However the Ibbotsons were able to consolidate their lead on the next beat and
continued their march to victory ahead of Gifford & Brown, the Mayhews, Gerry &
Tom Garner and Graham Ireland & Michael Douglas. They were the only finishers
as the other competitors realised that the Club bar was a far more inviting
place to spend Boxing Day.

John Meadowcroft.