Write-Up

The Tri-Icicle is Snowflake SC's late season annual long distance race from Horning. At about 12 miles down the River Bure into the River Thurne and back it is a mini version of the famous 'Three Rivers' endurance race which is more like 42 miles. With no overnight sailing and no bridges to drop masts for tthe Tri-Icicle makes a good alternative for single-handers who can not enter the big one. The scenery together with the beautiful local traditional classes of River Cruisers, Norfolk Punts and Half-Deckers make for quite a spectacle.
 
I love visiting pretty locations, interesting long distance courses and river racing and this adventure had all three! My race took me 3hr5min through the narrow river course and the ever changing Norfolk Broads scenery and continuous racing challenges kept it lively.  I had taped an ordinance survey map on the deck for reference although I could tell the direction of the upcoming bends by looking for the sailing rigs in front over the river banks. The highlight for me was planing the RS Aero 9 down the 40 metre wide river whilst avoiding the traditional River Cruisers short tacking upwind! It was also incredible to watch the fastest River Cruiser 'Storm'  (crewed by Chris Tuckett who I had met from RS500 racing) pass me like I was standing still at the end of the race when I did not expect to see them. At that moment, in the lee of the trees, I had about 4kn of wind at river level whilst the top half of their 60 foot tall rig still had about 14kn above the trees!

A Yeoman took the win and I was pleased to take 2nd with another Yeoman in 3rd and the OK in 4th. A good variety of traditional OD classes, Norfolk Punts and a Wayfarer packed out the rest of the top ten.

The race usually has up to about 50 boats competing with several dinghies. It would be great to see more dinghies and RS Aeros at this race in the future and the RS Aero is reasonably well suited with agility on the narrow course and being quick to accelerate in each gust. Watch out for it in late October again next year!

Photos: thanks to David Edmund-Jones and Paddy Wildman. Full albums on Facebook here by David and Paddy

Results

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