THE prospect of four days racing between Christmas and the New Year was certainly something Bembridge Sailing Club's Illusion fleet was eagerly looking forward to — until Storm Gerrit upset the apple cart.

There was no racing on Thursday last week, and only one race last Friday for the popular Christmas Cracker event. 

On Saturday, the club managed four races for the Icebreaker Trophy, but Sunday’s racing was cancelled.

A fleet of 14 boats launched last Friday.

After a short postponement and with sea conditions beginning to deteriorate as the breeze increased, Bruce Huber’s green spinnaker was the first to fly after rounding the spreader, with big rival, Mark Downer, next round, in the opening race. 

Gusts of 25 knots made for some exciting downwind sailing and, despite no catastrophic broaches, most were very relieved when they managed to get their spinnakers safely down. 

On the second beat, Huber filled up and, although he was able to continue after suffering pump problems, there was no way he was going to be able to catch Downer, so he bailed out.

In the meantime, Downer played safe and, having not risked his spinnaker as the breeze gusted to more than 26 knots, he finished safely ahead of Oliver Morgan and Caroline Simonds. 

By now, conditions were becoming more about survival, than tactical racing, with young Henry Landon sailing the loaner boat, Illustration, well in the tough conditions. 

With the safety RIB in hot demand and the sea conditions in the start area at the top end of safe sailing, the decision was made to abandon further racing, so just the one race counted for the trophy, won by Mark Downer.