Frostbite regatta report 31 July – 1 August 2021 Blenheim
12 of the 14 boaters who entered our Annual Frostbite ( That wasn’t) Regatta. Missing who also raced on Saturday are Gen Graham and Ant Schroder.
The reason I say it was the frostbite that wasn’t is that since this regattas inception in 2009 this is the first year we have not been greeted with a biting frost both days Hence the name of the regatta.
Mild temps and perfect racing water both days ensured good close (and some times too close) Racing.
Results:-
Mono. 6 entries all racing together. After 5 rounds Bevan burney cleaned up with 1500 points, Shelz Merrilees 2nd 925pts and Gav Jamieson 3rd 700pts
Cat Scrap 7 competitors run as 3 and 4 boat heats. 4 rounds of racing and Azza mcKnight took this one out with 1400 points from Flipper Vallender on 1225pts and Andrew Colquhoun 3rd on 1125pts.
As the water had smoothed out 4 of us had a go at some speed runs but fickle water would not let our boats set properly so no records fell. there were almost invisible rollers coming all the way up from the coast roughly 2km away and probably because the usual gravel bar that blocks the mouth of the diversion save a small outlet for the water. has been washed away by the big flood 2 weeks ago so at present the mouth is completely open to the sea so we are getting effects right up where we run. A few big seas should reinstate the bar so we will be more protected.
Fastest pass yours truly with his P hydro at 120.100kmh 3 kmh shy of the record. Ant Schroder X hydro 100.840kmh, Andrew Colquhoun P1 DeepVee 87.062kmh, Daniel Steenhart T2 Thunderboat 97.627kmh.
Hydro Final event for Saturday. 6 competitors so ran 2 heats of 3 per round. Paul Merrilees took this out with 1700 points after 5 rounds. Bevan Burney 2nd 1625pts and Daniel Steenhart 3rd 650pts.
This event was marred by one of the most destructive crashes I have witnessed in all my years of racing. During the mill of heat 3b Mike with his brand new Backlash and Bevan were winding up down the back straight heading for the start when mike caught a wake that sent him cartwheeling right out in front of Bevan on the outside. both met head on and Bevans boat literally tore the right front 3rd off mikes boat back past the engine writing it off. Bevan demolished the nose of his boat back to the first bulkhead however with duck tape and plenty of helpers armed with tape at the start of the remaining heats was able to tape the cowl on allowing him to complete 4 of the 5 heats. Unfortunately for Mike it is going to be a new boat I fear.
Sunday
Open Oval. 12 entries so 3 heats of 4 per round.
Down to 11 before the first heat when Bretts engine decided to swallow its butterfly. (see post below)
All were instructed the night before that racing starts at 10am on the dot as we need to be finished early to allow the distant travellers to get on the road home. not there and we start with out you.
Everyone came on board and we got through 12 heats of racing in 1 hr 10 minutes. I kept tallying the points as the racing went on so had a result less that 5 minutes after the last heat.
This was taken out by Paul Merrilees again with 1250 points, Bevan a close second on 1225 points and Duncan Atkinson from Nelson 3rd on 975 points.
Did prize giving so Daniel and Andrew could get on the road then as it was national club day the rest continued on racing gathering points for the Club championship.
Those results will be posted later on.
Our hastily prepared steps erected last weekend worked a treat however the original ones added to the bottom to get thru this weekend need more attention.
Thanks to those who travelled to make the event as successful as it was.
Cheers
Nitro
FROSTBITE REGATTA RESULTS.
MONO 6 competitors
Name points
1st Bevan Burney 1500
2nd Shelz Merrilees 925
3rd Gav Jamieson 700
4th Daniel Steenhart 500
5th Flipper Vallender 50
6th Brett Burns 25
CATS 7 Competitors
1st Azza McKnight 1400
2nd Flipper 1225
3rd Andrew Colquhoun 1125
4th Duncan Atkinson 975
5th= Paul Merrilees 900
Shelz Merrilees 900
7th Glen Graham 25
HYDROS 6 Competitors
1st Paul Merrilees 1700
2nd Bevan Burney 1625
3rd Daniel Steenhart 650
4th = Mike Mackie 350
Clive Stevens-Clarke 350
6th Ant Schroder 125
OVAL 12 Competitors
1st Paul Merrilees 1250
2nd Bevan Burney 1225
3rd Duncan Atkinson 975
4th = Gav Jamieson 950
Mike Mackie 950
6th Azza McKnight 925
7th Daniel Steenhart 894
8th Clive Stevens-Clarke 825
9th Andrew Colquhoun 775
10th Flipper Vallender 750
11th Shelz Merrilees 475
12th Brett Burns 25