Frozen Toe Finale

Published 17:26 on 21 Dec 2025

Chichester Yacht Club hosted Frozen Toe Races 7 and 8 on Sunday, with Race Officer Nick Colbourne setting a trapezium course from the end of the Birdham Channel and a beat towards LAKE. With wind in the low double digits and a strong tide running, strategy played a major role throughout the day. The first start was clean after the fleet were warned that the rising tide might sweep them over early.

The Fast Fleet was strengthened by four visiting Merlin Rockets joining the home Hadrons and Devoti. The Medium Fleet included 2000s, Supernovas, Solos and an RS Vareo, while the Slow Fleets single entry joined them on the same course.
In Race 7, Alex Jackson and Andrea Downham (Merlin) took a narrow Fast Fleet win—just one second ahead of Martin Ortons Hadron H2. In the Medium Fleet, Bill Dawber and Jack de la Hunty won, with Mark Harper (Solo) taking second on handicap.
With the tide reversed for Race 8, the fleet hugged the Birdham Pool bank. Jackson and Downham again won convincingly, ahead of Orton.
After racing, sailors enjoyed mince pies and mulled wine before the prizegiving. Series winners were Orton (Fast), Dawber & de la Hunty (Medium), and Anna Swain (Slow). Dawber and de la Hunty also claimed the overall Frozen Toe title.

Lots of Photos from the series can be found here : https://www.yogile.com/ft2025#