Lark wins the Draycote Dash, Scorpion wins the SailJuice Series

Podcast: Update on the Vendée, America's Cup latest & Selden Sailjuice Winter Series. Andy Rice enjoys a lockdown chat with Mark Jardine of Sail-World.com

What has been a windy start to the GJW Direct SailJuice Winter Series looks set to continue at this weekend’s Virtual Rigger 40th Bloody Mary in London. The forecast for the pursuit race classic is a moderate to strong easterly breeze, but that hasn’t stopped 256 boats entering in advance, with the prospect of many more entering on the day.

With a high-wind forecast, no one could have expected all 170 entries to follow through with the trip to today’s Grafham Grand Prix, but the 145 that got out of bed early to brave the conditions would be rewarded with a spectacular day’s handicap racing. The average wind strength might have been in the late teens to early 20s, but it was the severity of the gusts - up to 35 knots - that provided the real test. There were capsizes aplenty although, amazingly, no broken masts.

With the 2012 Brass Monkey at Yorkshire Dales SC being part of the GJW Direct Sailjuice Winter Series, a bumper entry was expected, and sure enough entries had to be closed as capacity was reached weeks before the event date.

With a forecast of sunshine and strong wind on 27 December, and entry already full, the Yorkshire Dales Brass Monkey looks set to be a humdinger of an event. The first time it has been included the GJW Direct SailJuice Winter Series, the Brass Monkey already has over 120 entries in 32 different dinghy classes. Event organiser Keith Escritt said: “It’s a pity we can’t make the lake bigger, but 120 is all we reckon can fit comfortably on the water and ashore. So we’re asking if anyone who has entered but reckons they won’t be able to make it on the day, to let us know in advance so we can pass their spot on to another boat.”

The GJW Direct SailJuice Winter Series gets under way this weekend at the Draycote Dash, the first of six major winter handicap events in this tough Series.

Now in its fourth season, this Winter Dinghy Handicap Championship will test sailing skill and sheer persistence across six of the biggest events of the chilly season.... The GJW Direct SailJuice Winter Series kicks off with the Draycote Dash on the weekend of 24/25 November 2012.