Ullswater Yacht Club Winter Series 2022

 Six Sundays of great racing, from wild to drifting

Thirty-five boats took part in the Ullswater Yacht Club Winter Series from October 30 to December 4, a total of 24 in the All Class Handicap fleet and 11 of the club's Youths & Juniors.

The original plan was for three races every Sunday until December 18, but a combination of lack of wind, bitter cold and potentially treacherous conditions on the roads led to a decision to cancel the last two Sundays.

On the first Sunday, October 30, 40 mph gusts coming down off Arthur's Pike were knocking the keelboats flat and racing was abandoned after the first two races as sailors started to fear for their rigs. So a total of 17 races out of the planned 24 were completed with 9 to count. Conditions varied from that first wild day to drifting and everything in between with close racing in both fleets.

In the Youth & Junior fleet, Olivia Dembinska in an RS Tera Pro won overall fairly comfortably with nine bullets. But she didn't have everything entirely her own way with other race winners being Laia Priestley, Reuben Dory, Jessica Warner and Agnes Priestley, all sailing Tera Sports. Prizes were donated by Artur Dembinsk

In the ACH fleet, Artur, sailing an Aero 7, couldn't match his daughter's achievement on the water, finishing just off the podium in fourth. Jono Shelley, crewed by Graham and Selina Priestley in a VX One, took seven firsts for the overall win. Other race wins went to the fast-improving Spirit Alderson in an ILCA 6, still technically a Youth but more than holding his own among the adults, with three and Bernard Clark in an OK with a single win. 

Overall Results:

ACH

1st Jono Shelley, Graham & Selina Priestley, VX One, UYC, 11pts

2nd Spirit Alderson, ILCA 6, Derwent Reservoir SC, 19pts

3rd Bernard Clark, OK, Overy Staithe SC/ Ripon SC, 23.5pts

Full results at ullswateryachtclub.org/open-events-for-2022-1/untitled-82

Y&J, all UYC

1st Olivia Dembinska, Tera Pro, 9pts

2nd Laia Priestley, Tera Sport, 15.5pts

3rd Reuben Dory, Tera Sport, 22pts

Full results: ullswateryachtclub.org/winter-series-2022/untitled-83