22nd February Frostbite 14

 There was a nice 10 mph SW breeze with the forecast predicting 13-14 mph by the end of the race for the 19 starters. Dave L set a first beat down to 2, back up to 5, then down to 3, back to 9 then up round 6 down to 7 and back through the start.

Just before the start Peter R (Enterprise) had to cross the orange buoy line to avoid a collision and found himself stuck behind the buoys when the start gun went. It was quite an eventful first lap as the four leaders David C, Jon and Steve S in Lasers and Newton & Ellen in their Laser 2000 all rounded the first mark No 2 the wrong way round, i.e. they took it to port when they should have rounded with the mark to starboard.  They all went back round the mark but David and Jon did not realise that they had incorrectly re-rounded until later.
Sylvia capsized gybing round 5, which forced Mike A who was just behind to her to take avoiding action and he finished pinned on the orange buoy line by Steve P. It took Mike and Steve some time to work themselves free of the buoy line (there seemed to be a fatal attraction to the orange buoys today !)  
At the end of the first lap Ian C (Supernova) crossed the line in first place followed by Jon, who subsequently retired when he discovered his infringement on the first mark. Curtis (Laser) came through in 3rd place closely followed by Ken, James and Adrian in Lasers then Newton & Ellen followed by three more Lasers, Steve S, John W and Sylvia. Next through the line was Peter S (Byte), Mike C (Solo) and Hugh (Byte) followed by the orange buoy huggers, Mike A, Steve P and Peter R. Then Alistair S (Laser) came through in 17th place, but was fast being caught by David C who had to go back half a lap to re-round No 2. The fleet was completed by William in his Topper.
By the end of the second lap Ian was well clear of the Laser pack, but they were having a really close battle. Ken was now 2nd with James 3rd and Steve S up to 4th. Newton & Ellen had moved up to 6th and John W had moved up two places to 7th. Towards the back of the fleet Mike A had moved up four places and David five places.
William received the finish gun at the end of his second lap.
At the end of the third and final lap the two leaders were the same but Steve S had moved up one place to 3rd.  The only other movers on this lap were the tangerines, Mike A, Steve P and Peter R and the late re-rounder David who all made up one more place.
Final positions on the water were 1st Ian; 2nd Ken; 3rd Steve S; 4th James; 5th Curtis; 6th Newton & Ellen.
However Peter S had sailed a good race in his Byte hanging on to the back of the Laser pack and although Ian is safe in 1st place, Peter should take 2nd place on handicap with Ken pushed down to 3rd  and Newton & Ellen coming up to 4th.
 
An interesting point to remember about Mark Rounding 
Today at No 2 the first 4 boats rounded it the wrong way. David, Jon, Steve and Newton. After realising their mistake all four went back round it the right way. However this only undoes the incorrect rounding so you have still round it again correctly. It is like considering your track as a piece of string that if you pull it tight it ends up wrapped around the buoy. Steve and Newton did this but David and Jon did not, although David did go back when he got past No 5 ! Jon decided to retire as he had completed the first lap by the time that he was informed.