IOM Mid Week Handicap

Cool conditions and a less than encouraging forecast kept skippers away for today’s IOM handicap racing at Risdon Brook Dam. While the day was cool the wind did not disappoint with a solid 10 - 15 knots of Northerly with its usual shifts and gusts. A-rigs were the universal choice for the morning session.

Phil Jackman filled the PRO’s position and did an excellent job as you would expect. Thanks so much Trout.

David Woolley sailed really well in the morning session and won two races but some heavier gusts during the lunch break tempted him to change to the B-rig. That didn’t work out all that well as, if anything, the wind lightened a knot or two as the afternoon proceeded. 

Andrew Wardrop earns the honourable mention today. After some servo issues in the third race Andrew went home and returned after lunch with his other boat. The blitz was flying in the afternoon session and Andrew took out back-to-back wins in races 8 and 9. He could have easily taken a hat trick too as he was well ahead in the last race of the day but sailed the wrong course, - still finishing the race second though. Well sailed Andrew.  

And I can’t speak too loudly about sailing the wrong course as I did exactly the same thing - not once, but twice! And my own fault too as I thought that it would be a good idea to set a slightly different course today as we had been doing the same old course for quite a few weeks. Obviously too many weeks as by force of habit I was assuming that buoy 8 was always the windward mark.

Ricky Price took out third place overall after starting the day as the backmarker and finishing it on an 85 second handicap. Well sailed Ricky!  Martin Svensen took second place with a 3rd place two 2nd places and a race win in his mix. A really good day’s sailing Martin. And todays winner was John Hall. It has been a while since we have seen John on the winners dais for IOM’s. So congratulations John on a well deserved victory.

The handicaps were interesting too as all skippers reached the podium a couple of times and no-one either dominated so much or sailed so poorly that they needed handicap penalty or benefit for next week. No adjustment in handicap for anyone! I guess that means that the system is generating appropriate handicaps.
 
Coming up:

Sunday: DF95 Scratch sailing at Risdon Brook Dam. 10:00 button-press.

Next Wednesday: There is an extra Wednesday in July so next week will be IOM handicap at Risdon Brook Dam. 11:00 button-press.
 
Shorty