The Imperial Icicle 2025 Team Racing at Queen Mary Sailing Club
by Henry Hollingworth 27 Feb 09:31 UTC
22-23 February 2025
Last weekend saw Imperial College Sailing Club host its annual team racing competition: the Imperial Icicle at Queen Mary Reservoir.
With twenty different teams from across the country, including two teams from Dublin, filling Travelodge's, Airbnb's and friend's floors on the Friday night, it was set to be the largest competition in the club's history. Our members had spent the last two weeks repairing fibreglass, cleaning our flights' hulls and moving UCL and Brunel Sailing Clubs' boats from their reservoirs to ours. Twenty-four boats and innumerable spare parts were assembled for a weekend of intense racing!
Saturday saw us get through one hundred races with a start almost every 3 minutes thanks in large part to our alumni, Charlie Lidbury's heroic efforts in streamlining the race scheduling process with the development of imperialicicle.com a web app he hopes will be used at many more university team racing events in the future. Competitors would often hear a drone buzzing overhead collecting valuable race footage and it was a common sight to see competitors crowded around in the club cafeteria reliving their winning conversions. The afternoon brought sunshine and music to the pontoon with ABBAs greatest hits putting teams in the racing mindset.
The forecast for Sunday predicted wind squalls and upon arrival at the clubhouse the red "advanced conditions" flag was flying. Nonetheless, boats were quickly launched and despite the tough weather, teams quickly made their way through another forty races of the round robin. Capsizes and breakages plagued the day with our two bosuns constantly running through the boat park with everything from rudders to sails and masts. The sporting conditions did nothing to diminish morale and it was lovely to see so many smiles on and off the water (even post-capsize!).
We moved swiftly through to semis as the wind continued to build and breakages forced us to retire twelve boats. Unfortunately, we only got through four races before the wind took its toll and a leaking boat and snapped forestay brought an abrupt end to the day. The winning teams were determined from the results of the round robin discarding the results of semis.
Trinity College Dublin won the event doing an impressive job of drinking their prizes before their flight back to Ireland. Sevenoaks Pirate Hawks and University College Dublin filled out the top three. The overwhelming response from participants was that it was an incredibly well organised event with all our volunteers doing Imperial proud.
Like all university competitions, none of this could have been organised without the tireless work of our entire club and we benefitted from the thriving community of sailors across London with assistance from UCL, Brunel, the London Castaways and Queen Mary Sailing Club. We are also ever grateful to the umpires who give up their time every weekend to make sure the ever-competitive team racers do their spins and in this case Nigel Vick who also managed to snap some incredible photos of the event.
As the popularity of university sailing continues to grow, events like this need a streamlined system for scheduling and results. This weekend we were able to do away with the crumpled schedules and complex results spreadsheets of years gone by with Charlie's new yet-to-be-named system available at imperialicicle.com. At the moment he is offering this service for free as he irons out the wrinkles so if you're running an event soon make the most of it and reach out to him at !
The results of the Icicle are available below and if you're interested in participating next year contact us at !
Overall Results:
| R | Team | Result | Boat results | V | Boat results | Result | Team |
|---|
| 1 | Emirates Team Kickflip | Win | 1 | 6 | 2 | vs | 4 | 3 | 5 | Loss | Plymouth Black |
| 2 | Portsmouth Blue | Loss | 3 | 6 | 5 | vs | 4 | 2 | 1 | Win | Cambridge Green |
| 3 | Sevenoaks Pirate Hawks | Win | 3 | 2 | 1 | vs | 5 | 4 | 6 | Loss | Durham Bubblegum Pink |
| 4 | Portsmouth Brown | Win | 1 | 2 | 3 | vs | 5 | 4 | 6 | Loss | UCLove |
| 5 | Emirates Team Kickflip | Win | 4 | 1 | 2 | vs | 3 | 6 | 5 | Loss | Imperial White |
| 6 | Bath Matte Black | Loss | 4 | 5 | 6 | vs | 1 | 3 | 2 | Win | Cambridge Green |
| 7 | Durham Bubblegum Pink | Loss | 5 | 2 | 4 | vs | 6 | 3 | 1 | Win | UCD |
| 8 | Portsmouth Brown | Win | 2 | 1 | 3 | vs | 4 | 6 | 5 | Loss | Brunel Blue |
| 9 | Solent Black | Win | 5 | 2 | 3 | vs | 6 | 4 | 1 | Loss | Imperial White |
| 10 | Durham White | Win | 3 | 4 | 2 | vs | 6 | 5 | 1 | Loss | Bath Matte Black |
| 11 | Oxford | Loss | 6 | 4 | 5 | vs | 3 | 1 | 2 | Win | UCD |
| 12 | Brunel Blue | Loss | 5 | 6 | 4 | vs | 2 | 1 | 3 | Win | TCD |
| 13 | UCL Purple | Win | 2 | 1 | 6 | vs | 4 | 5 | 3 | Loss | Solent Black |
| 14 | Durham White | Loss | 4 | 5 | 6 | vs | 1 | 2 | 3 | Win | Rutland Rockets |
| 15 | Bath Glossy White | Loss | 4 | 6 | 5 | vs | 1 | 2 | 3 | Win | Oxford |
| 16 | TCD | Win | 1 | 4 | 3 | vs | 2 | 6 | 5 | Loss | Northern RoyalT |
| 17 | Portsmouth Blue | Loss | 3 | 5 | 4 | vs | 1 | 2 | 6 | Win | UCL Purple |
| 18 | Sevenoaks Pirate Hawks | Win | 2 | 5 | 1 | vs | 3 | 4 | 6 | Loss | Rutland Rockets |
| 19 | UCLove | Win | 1 | 6 | 2 | vs | 5 | 4 | 3 | Loss | Bath Glossy White |
| 20 | Northern RoyalT | Win | 6 | 3 | 1 | vs | 4 | 2 | 5 | Loss | Plymouth Black |
| 21 | Brunel Blue | Loss | 6 | 4 | 5 | vs | 3 | 2 | 1 | Win | Oxford |
| 22 | Cambridge Green | Loss | 6 | 3 | 5 | vs | 4 | 1 | 2 | Win | Imperial White |
| 23 | Solent Black | Win | 4 | 2 | 3 | vs | 6 | 1 | 5 | Loss | UCD |
| 24 | Portsmouth Brown | Loss | 6 | 4 | 3 | vs | 2 | 5 | 1 | Win | Rutland Rockets |
| 25 | UCLove | Win | 3 | 1 | 2 | vs | 5 | 6 | 4 | Loss | Brunel Blue |
| 26 | Durham White | Loss | 6 | 4 | 3 | vs | 2 | 1 | 5 | Win | Imperial White |
| 27 | Portsmouth Blue | Loss | 4 | 6 | 3 | vs | 1 | 5 | 2 | Win | UCD |
| 28 | Rutland Rockets | Loss | 3 | 5 | 6 | vs | 4 | 1 | 2 | Win | TCD |
| 29 | UCLove | Loss | 3 | 6 | 5 | vs | 1 | 4 | 2 | Win | Plymouth Black |
| 30 | Durham White | Loss | 6 | 5 | 4 | vs | 2 | 1 | 3 | Win | Emirates Team Kickflip |
| 31 | Portsmouth Blue | Win | 5 | 2 | 1 | vs | 6 | 4 | 3 | Loss | Bath Glossy White |
| 32 | Durham Bubblegum Pink | Loss | 6 | 5 | 4 | vs | 1 | 3 | 2 | Win | TCD |
| 33 | UCL Purple | Win | 4 | 2 | 1 | vs | 3 | 6 | 5 | Loss | Plymouth Black |
| 34 | Sevenoaks Pirate Hawks | Win | 2 | 4 | 1 | vs | 5 | 6 | 3 | Loss | Emirates Team Kickflip |
| 35 | Bath Matte Black | Win | 2 | 5 | 1 | vs | 6 | 4 | 3 | Loss | Bath Glossy White |
| 36 | Durham Bubblegum Pink | Loss | 3 | 6 | 2 | vs | 5 | 4 | 1 | Win | Northern RoyalT |
| 37 | Cambridge Green | Loss | 5 | 6 | 3 | vs | 2 | 4 | 1 | Win | UCL Purple |
| 38 | Sevenoaks Pirate Hawks | Win | 3 | 1 | 2 | vs | 6 | 5 | 4 | Loss | Solent Black |
| 39 | Bath Matte Black | Loss | 5 | 6 | 4 | vs | 3 | 2 | 1 | Win | Portsmouth Brown |
| 40 | Oxford | Loss | 5 | 4 | 3 | vs | 2 | 6 | 1 | Win | Northern RoyalT |
| 41 | UCLove | Loss | 6 | 4 | 5 | vs | 1 | 2 | 3 | Win | TCD |
| 42 | UCL Purple | Loss | 3 | 2 | 6 | vs | 4 | 1 | 5 | Win | Imperial White |
| 43 | Durham White | Loss | 6 | 3 | 4 | vs | 5 | 2 | 1 | Win | Portsmouth Blue |
| 44 | Rutland Rockets | Win | 2 | 3 | 1 | vs | 6 | 5 | 4 | Loss | Bath Glossy White |
| 45 | UCLove | Loss | 6 | 3 | 5 | vs | 1 | 4 | 2 | Win | Northern RoyalT |
| 46 | Emirates Team Kickflip | Win | 1 | 2 | 6 | vs | 3 | 5 | 4 | Loss | UCL Purple |
| 47 | Sevenoaks Pirate Hawks | Loss | 1 | 13 | 2 | vs | 6 | 5 | 4 | Win | Portsmouth Blue |
| 48 | Durham Bubblegum Pink | Win | 1 | 3 | 2 | vs | 6 | 5 | 4 | Loss | Bath Glossy White |
| 49 | Brunel Blue | Loss | 6 | 4 | 5 | vs | 2 | 3 | 1 | Win | Northern RoyalT |
| 50 | Cambridge Green | Loss | 3 | 5 | 4 | vs | 2 | 1 | 6 | Win | Emirates Team Kickflip |
| 51 | Sevenoaks Pirate Hawks | Win | 3 | 2 | 1 | vs | 6 | 4 | 5 | Loss | Bath Matte Black |
| 52 | Durham Bubblegum Pink | Win | 1 | 6 | 3 | vs | 4 | 5 | 2 | Loss | Portsmouth Brown |
| 53 | Brunel Blue | Loss | 3 | 5 | 4 | vs | 1 | 6 | 2 | Win | Plymouth Black |
| 54 | Cambridge Green | Loss | 4 | 6 | 5 | vs | 1 | 2 | 3 | Win | Solent Black |
| 55 | Bath Matte Black | Loss | 5 | 4 | 6 | vs | 1 | 3 | 2 | Win | UCD |
| 56 | Portsmouth Brown | Loss | 3 | 4 | 6 | vs | 5 | 2 | 1 | Win | Oxford |
| 57 | Imperial White | Loss | 3 | 6 | 4 | vs | 2 | 1 | 5 | Win | Plymouth Black |
| 58 | Durham White | Loss | 5 | 6 | 4 | vs | 1 | 2 | 3 | Win | Solent Black |
| 59 | Rutland Rockets | Loss | 2 | 6 | 5 | vs | 4 | 3 | 1 | Win | UCD |
| 60 | TCD | Win | 2 | 4 | 1 | vs | 6 | 5 | 3 | Loss | Oxford |
| 61 | Cambridge Green | Win | 2 | 5 | 1 | vs | 6 | 3 | 4 | Loss | Bath Glossy White |
| 62 | Northern RoyalT | Win | 4 | 1 | 2 | vs | 6 | 5 | 3 | Loss | Imperial White |
| 63 | Portsmouth Blue | Win | 4 | 3 | 1 | vs | 2 | 5 | 6 | Loss | UCLove |
| 64 | Rutland Rockets | Win | 1 | 3 | 2 | vs | 4 | 5 | 6 | Loss | Plymouth Black |
| 65 | Portsmouth Brown | Loss | 1 | 6 | 5 | vs | 2 | 3 | 4 | Win | Cambridge Green |
| 66 | Emirates Team Kickflip | Win | 3 | 4 | 2 | vs | 1 | 5 | 6 | Loss | Northern RoyalT |
| 67 | Portsmouth Blue | Loss | 4 | 5 | 6 | vs | 3 | 2 | 1 | Win | Oxford |
| 68 | Sevenoaks Pirate Hawks | Win | 5 | 1 | 4 | vs | 3 | 6 | 2 | Loss | Plymouth Black |
| 69 | Portsmouth Brown | Loss | 3 | 5 | 6 | vs | 1 | 4 | 2 | Win | UCL Purple |
| 70 | Emirates Team Kickflip | Win | 1 | 5 | 2 | vs | 4 | 6 | 3 | Loss | Brunel Blue |
| 71 | Bath Matte Black | Loss | 4 | 6 | 3 | vs | 5 | 2 | 1 | Win | Oxford |
| 72 | Sevenoaks Pirate Hawks | Win | 3 | 5 | 2 | vs | 6 | 1 | 4 | Loss | UCD |
| 73 | TCD | Loss | 3 | 5 | 4 | vs | 6 | 1 | 2 | Win | UCL Purple |
| 74 | Brunel Blue | Loss | 6 | 4 | 3 | vs | 1 | 5 | 2 | Win | Solent Black |
| 75 | Bath Matte Black | Loss | 4 | 5 | 6 | vs | 2 | 3 | 1 | Win | Durham Bubblegum Pink |
| 76 | Durham White | Loss | 5 | 4 | 6 | vs | 3 | 2 | 1 | Win | UCD |
| 77 | TCD | Win | 2 | 3 | 1 | vs | 5 | 6 | 4 | Loss | Imperial White |
| 78 | UCLove | Loss | 6 | 4 | 5 | vs | 2 | 3 | 1 | Win | Solent Black |
| 79 | Durham Bubblegum Pink | Loss | 6 | 1 | 5 | vs | 3 | 2 | 4 | Win | Rutland Rockets |
| 80 | Durham White | Win | 1 | 4 | 2 | vs | 5 | 6 | 3 | Loss | Bath Glossy White |
| 81 | Cambridge Green | Loss | 5 | 3 | 6 | vs | 1 | 4 | 2 | Win | Plymouth Black |
| 82 | Imperial White | Loss | 3 | 4 | 6 | vs | 2 | 1 | 5 | Win | UCD |
| 83 | Portsmouth Blue | Loss | 5 | 6 | 4 | vs | 3 | 1 | 2 | Win | Portsmouth Brown |
| 84 | Rutland Rockets | Win | 1 | 2 | 3 | vs | 14 | 5 | 6 | Loss | Brunel Blue |
| 85 | Durham White | Loss | 4 | 6 | 5 | vs | 2 | 1 | 3 | Win | Cambridge Green |
| 86 | Emirates Team Kickflip | Loss | 4 | 3 | 5 | vs | 2 | 6 | 1 | Win | UCD |
| 87 | Portsmouth Blue | Loss | 6 | 5 | 4 | vs | 2 | 1 | 3 | Win | TCD |
| 88 | Durham Bubblegum Pink | Win | 1 | 2 | 3 | vs | 6 | 4 | 5 | Loss | Brunel Blue |
| 89 | Durham White | Loss | 4 | 5 | 6 | vs | 1 | 2 | 3 | Win | UCL Purple |
| 90 | Emirates Team Kickflip | Win | 3 | 1 | 2 | vs | 5 | 6 | 4 | Loss | Bath Glossy White |
| 91 | Bath Matte Black | Loss | 4 | 5 | 6 | vs | 1 | 3 | 2 | Win | TCD |
| 92 | Durham Bubblegum Pink | Win | 2 | 5 | 1 | vs | 3 | 6 | 4 | Loss | UCLove |
| 93 | Sevenoaks Pirate Hawks | Loss | 4 | 5 | 2 | vs | 1 | 6 | 3 | Win | UCL Purple |
| 94 | Bath Glossy White | Loss | 6 | 5 | 4 | vs | 3 | 2 | 1 | Win | Solent Black |
| 95 | Bath Matte Black | Loss | 6 | 5 | 4 | vs | 1 | 2 | 3 | Win | Northern RoyalT |
| 96 | UCLove | Loss | 6 | 3 | 5 | vs | 2 | 1 | 4 | Win | Oxford |
| 97 | Sevenoaks Pirate Hawks | Win | 2 | 1 | 3 | vs | 4 | 6 | 5 | Loss | Imperial White |
| 98 | Portsmouth Brown | Win | 1 | 2 | 3 | vs | 5 | 6 | 4 | Loss | Solent Black |
| 99 | Rutland Rockets | Win | 1 | 6 | 2 | vs | 3 | 5 | 4 | Loss | Northern RoyalT |
| 100 | Oxford | Win | 3 | 1 | 4 | vs | 2 | 5 | 6 | Loss | Plymouth Black |
| 101 | Durham Bubblegum Pink | Win | 1 | 4 | 3 | vs | 2 | 6 | 5 | Loss | Portsmouth Blue |
| 102 | Bath Glossy White | Loss | 6 | 6 | 6 | vs | 1 | 3 | 2 | Win | UCD |
| 103 | Cambridge Green | Loss | 6 | 3 | 5 | vs | 4 | 2 | 1 | Win | TCD |
| 104 | UCLove | Win | 5 | 2 | 3 | vs | 1 | 6 | 4 | Loss | Imperial White |
| 105 | Portsmouth Blue | Loss | 1 | 6 | 5 | vs | 2 | 3 | 4 | Win | Rutland Rockets |
| 106 | Sevenoaks Pirate Hawks | Win | 3 | 2 | 1 | vs | 6 | 6 | 6 | Loss | Bath Glossy White |
| 107 | Cambridge Green | Win | 3 | 5 | 4 | vs | 12 | 6 | 1 | Loss | Northern RoyalT |
| 108 | UCLove | Loss | 4 | 6 | 5 | vs | 2 | 1 | 3 | Win | Emirates Team Kickflip |
| 109 | Bath Matte Black | Loss | 4 | 6 | 5 | vs | 1 | 2 | 3 | Win | Rutland Rockets |
| 110 | Sevenoaks Pirate Hawks | Win | 3 | 1 | 2 | vs | 6 | 5 | 4 | Loss | Portsmouth Brown |
| 111 | UCL Purple | Loss | 4 | 3 | 5 | vs | 6 | 2 | 1 | Win | Northern RoyalT |
| 112 | Emirates Team Kickflip | Loss | 4 | 5 | 2 | vs | 3 | 1 | 6 | Win | Oxford |
| 113 | Bath Matte Black | Loss | 6 | 4 | 3 | vs | 1 | 2 | 5 | Win | Plymouth Black |
| 114 | Durham White | Loss | 6 | 4 | 5 | vs | 1 | 3 | 2 | Win | Portsmouth Brown |
| 115 | Brunel Blue | Loss | 6 | 5 | 4 | vs | 1 | 3 | 2 | Win | UCL Purple |
| 116 | Oxford | Win | 1 | 2 | 5 | vs | 3 | 4 | 6 | Loss | Solent Black |
| 117 | UCD | Win | 2 | 1 | 4 | vs | 6 | 5 | 3 | Loss | Plymouth Black |
| 118 | Durham White | Loss | 6 | 5 | 4 | vs | 3 | 1 | 2 | Win | TCD |
| 119 | Brunel Blue | Loss | 6 | 1 | 4 | vs | 5 | 3 | 2 | Win | Imperial White |
| 120 | Durham Bubblegum Pink | Loss | 5 | 6 | 1 | vs | 3 | 2 | 5 | Win | Solent Black |
| 121 | Portsmouth Blue | Win | 6 | 2 | 1 | vs | 3 | 5 | 4 | Loss | Northern RoyalT |
| 122 | Rutland Rockets | Win | 1 | 5 | 2 | vs | 4 | 6 | 3 | Loss | Oxford |
| 123 | Sevenoaks Pirate Hawks | Win | 5 | 1 | 4 | vs | 3 | 2 | 16 | Loss | Cambridge Green |
| 124 | Portsmouth Brown | Win | 1 | 3 | 6 | vs | 5 | 4 | 2 | Loss | Imperial White |
| 125 | Portsmouth Blue | Win | 3 | 1 | 2 | vs | 4 | 6 | 5 | Loss | Brunel Blue |
| 126 | Durham Bubblegum Pink | Loss | 4 | 5 | 3 | vs | 2 | 6 | 1 | Win | Oxford |
| 127 | Cambridge Green | Loss | 4 | 3 | 6 | vs | 2 | 1 | 5 | Win | UCD |
| 128 | Portsmouth Brown | Loss | 3 | 6 | 4 | vs | 1 | 2 | 5 | Win | Emirates Team Kickflip |
| 129 | Bath Matte Black | Loss | 6 | 2 | 4 | vs | 1 | 3 | 5 | Win | Brunel Blue |
| 130 | Durham Bubblegum Pink | Loss | 2 | 3 | 6 | vs | 5 | 1 | 4 | Win | Plymouth Black |
| 131 | UCL Purple | Loss | 3 | 4 | 6 | vs | 5 | 2 | 1 | Win | UCD |
| 132 | Emirates Team Kickflip | Loss | 5 | 4 | 6 | vs | 3 | 2 | 1 | Win | TCD |
| 133 | Bath Matte Black | Loss | 6 | 4 | 3 | vs | 2 | 1 | 5 | Win | UCLove |
| 134 | Durham White | Loss | 3 | 4 | 5 | vs | 1 | 2 | 6 | Win | Plymouth Black |
| 135 | Bath Glossy White | Loss | 6 | 6 | 6 | vs | 1 | 3 | 2 | Win | UCL Purple |
| 136 | TCD | Win | 1 | 2 | 5 | vs | 3 | 4 | 6 | Loss | Solent Black |
| 137 | UCLove | Loss | 4 | 6 | 3 | vs | 5 | 1 | 2 | Win | Rutland Rockets |
| 138 | Sevenoaks Pirate Hawks | Win | 5 | 1 | 2 | vs | 6 | 3 | 4 | Loss | Durham White |
| 139 | Bath Glossy White | Loss | 6 | 6 | 6 | vs | 1 | 2 | 3 | Win | Imperial White |
| 140 | Solent Black | Loss | 6 | 5 | 4 | vs | 3 | 1 | 2 | Win | Northern RoyalT |
