Race Reports

Ben and Jenny Vines won the Craftinsure 64th Firefly National Championships on a tyebreak in Tenby on Friday 20 August after the final day's racing was abandoned because of near gale force winds and rough seas. Sailing Fetherlite (F 2144), they were tied on points with Rob and Mel Sherrington from Ringwood in Iris (F 3617) at the end of sailing on Wednesday 18 August, but scored two firsts on Thursday. Although the Sherringtons had a more favourable discard, they were beaten on the countback. Will Mason and Anna Kennedy were 35th in The Walrus (F 4000) with 186 points.

Caroline Croft was fourth overall and her sister, Abigail fifth in a fleet of 65 boats after ten races at the Cadet Nationals at the Royal Torbay YC on Friday 20 August. Caroline had 32 points sailing Wave Rider (GBR 7274), crewed by Jacob Payne, and Abigail, crewed by Alex Page in On the Edge (GBR 8363), had 39 points. Caroline's best results include three firsts, a second, third, and fourth, and Abigail, who won Thursday's race, had a first, second and third. Mary Henderson was ninth overall crewed by Annie Sibthorp in Bad Influence (GBR 8561) and had 74 points, including a second and fourth. Charles Whyte was 50th, crewed by Isobel Speirs in 8333.

Charlie Morgan and Hayley Manning were first in dinghy class C sailing Merlin, Mango Tango (3579), at Fowey Royal Regatta on Tuesday morning 17 August and second in the afternoon, fourth on Wednesday morning and second in the afternoon and third on Friday 20 August.

Phil Plumtree wins Crittal Cup at Mersea Week

Phil Plumtree won the Crittal Cup in his West Solent One Design, Arrow, on the final day of Mersea Week during West Mersea YC's Regatta on Friday 13 August. Having suffered a string of defeats to Richard Matthews' recently restored 50 ft Fife, Kismet, Phil was second overall with three seconds and a first. Competitors experienced torrential rain, thunder, lightning and 40 knot squalls. Arrow emerged unbroken with a "very satisfying" victory.

Tamesis members were delighted to see Club Captain Phil England back in racing trim on Sunday 8 August when he crewed with Hugh McLaughlin as the third man on Charles Fox's National 18 Ocatillo (316).

Will and Rob Henderson won the Salcombe Yawl Red Fleet at the Henri Lloyd Salcombe YC Regatta from Sunday 1 to Friday 6 August. Sailing Black Tern (183) they scored six points from four firsts, a second and a discarded fourth.

James Fox was crewing in the winning Laser SB3 at Cowes Week. Sailing with Nick Phillips and two other crew members in Chaotic (GBR 3039) they have had a first, tenth, third, first, second, first and a second in daily races since Saturday 31 July. James did not join the crew at Cowes until Tuesday 3 August. They won the series by a margin of seven points.

Abigail Croft was 21st overall and the fourth British boat on Saturday 31 July after ten days racing in an 80 boat fleet at the 2010 International Cadet World Championships at Puck, Poland. Crewed by Alex Page in (GBR 8363), she had 189 points from 11 races with a sixth and 10th as her best two results.

In the Promotional Regatta, Mary Henderson was fourth overall crewed by Annie Sibthorp in (GBR 8561) with 51 points. Their best results were a second, two thirds, three fourths and a fifth. Abigail's sister, Caroline, crewed by Jacob Payne in (GBR 7274), was 10th overall with 103 points including a third, a seventh and an eighth.

James Fox was 20th overall in a 55 boat fleet at the Volvo Laser SB3 Championship at Tortole on Lake Garda, Italy, from Monday 19 to Friday 23 July. He was crewing for Nick Phillips in the Royal Thames YC boat Chaotic (GBR 3039). Their best results from 14 races after two discards were a first, fifth, sixth and and eighth.

Rob Wilder finished sixth overall in Wild Wood (5041) with 68 points after 12 races in a 36 boat entry at the Solo Nations Cup held at Saint Pierre, Quiberon, France from Tuesday 20 to Friday 23 July. His best results were a fifth, a seventh and five eighths.

Rob reports: It was the turn of the Nederlandse Soloklasse Organisatie (Dutch Solo Class Association) to organise the 2010 Solo Class Nations Cup and the event was organised by the Society des Regates de Vannes, in cooperation with the L'Ecole Nationale de Voile et des Sports Nautiques (ENVSN) in Quiberon, France.

"The sailing was fantastic with the breeze building throughout the week ending with 15-20 knots and sunshine. The racing was run very well indeed with very good race management from the SRV and the ENVSN, which is the French equivalent of the Weymouth & Portland SA, so the facilities were great.

"The Dutch Solo Class organised a great event with a happy hour every evening and a daily prize-giving. We also had a great dinner in the middle of the week.. It certainly was one of the best regattas I've sailed in, with great racing and great socials."

Mike Stephens was seventh overall in a 63 boat fleet at the Flying Fifteen Championships organised by Parkstone YC in Poole Harbour from Sunday 18 to Wednesday 21 July. He was crewing for Brett Dingwall of Datchet Water SC. Their best results from eight races were a first, second and a seventh and they had 52 points after two discards.

Jeremy and Max Vines were presented with the Dufour Cup on Tuesday 13 July aboard their yacht Pickle (GBR9585T) for being the fastest Dufour 34 in the Round the Island Race. Please also see report below on Pickle winning the Family Trophy and the Fedalah Trophy on Saturday 19 June.

Jeremy and Max are presented with the Dufour Cup by David Eyre
(Photo: Carolyne Vines)

Caroline Croft was fourth overall and her sister, Abigail, fifth on Wednesday 7 July after three days racing in International Cadets at the Flanders Regatta at Nieuwpoortweek. Caroline, crewed by Jacob Payne in Wave Rider (GBR 7274), has 33 points, and Abigail, crewed by Alex Page in GBR 8363, has 38 points.

Abigail and Alex have been selected as the first of seven crews to represent Britain at the Cadet World Championship in Puck, Poland, from 23 to 31 July.

Andrew Harris & Andy Douglas, sailing Millie (3649), were the best placed Tamesis crew at Salcombe Merlin Week. They had a 15th in strong winds on Sunday 4 July and a 14th in lighter winds on Monday 5 July, an 11th on Tuesday 6 July, another 11th on Wednesday, an eighth on Thursday 8 July and a twelfth on Friday 9 July. They were ranked 23rd overall in a fleet of 86 boats. Richard Harris and Adele Cameron won the Old Boat Trophy in Passing Cloud (1079). This was the second year in succession that the trophy was won by a Tamesis boat. Please see News page ( NEWS ) for Salcombe Merlin Week caption competition.

The week was won by Simon Blake and Alex Jackson in Spank the Monkey (3707) with four firsts, a third and a discarded sixth, giving seven points.

The boats were divided into separate flights and each sailed only one race a day in either the morning or the afternoon. Final points were based on the best five races after one discard.

Tamesis results from Sharps Doom Bar Salcombe Yacht Club Merlin Rocket Week 2020: Overall rankings with individual daily race results in square brackets from Sunday 4 July to Friday 9 July - 23th [15, 14, 11,11,8, 12] Millie (3649) Andrew Harris & Andy Douglas 56 points, 43rd [25, 26, 13, 24,16, OCS] Passing Cloud (1079) Richard Harris & Adele Cameron 104 points, 52nd [27, 32, 20, 21,22, 35] Mango Tango (3579) Charlie Morgan & Amanda Batten 122 points, 66th [26, 33, 32, 27, 33, 30] White Rabbit (3578) David Baker & Jim Green 148 points, 72nd [33, 35, 35, 37, 32, 33] Harry (3599) Ken Duffell & Brian Corking 168 points, 75th [30, 36, 36, 35, 38, 38] Misty (3404) John Buckley & William Anderson 175 points, 76th [DNC, 38, 34, 36, 33, 34] Precious (3333) John Adams & Stewart Colley 175 points, 77th [32, 38, 37, 37, 37, 37] Total Eclipse (3233) Richard Mourant & Joe Woods 180 points, 79th [DNS, 37, 41, 38, 39,37] Ragtime (3479) Rupert Fletcher & Paul Jamieson 192 points. [DNS=did not start, DNC=did not compete, OCS=on course side at start). .

Spinnakers and big seas (Photo: Brian Corking)

Mid race at Salcombe (Photo: Stewart Colley)

Andy Douglas and Andrew Harris in Millie (Photo: Brian Corking)

Richard Harris with the Old Boat Trophy (Photo: Stewart Colley)

Charlie Morgan and Amanda Batten in Mango Tango (Photo: Brian Corking)

David Baker and Jim Green in White Rabbit (Photo: Brian Corking)

Joe Woods and Richard Mourant in Total Eclipse (Photo:Rupert Fletcher)

Ken Duffell and Brian Corking in Harry and John Adams and Stewart Colley in Precious (Photo: Rupert Fletcher)

Mike Stephens won the Restless Trophy in Luka (MR3560) in a very windy race at Tamesis on Sunday 4 July. He was crewed by Fiona Cotterill. Race Officer Charles Fox set a long course past Stevens Eyot with the top mark near Hampton Wick Railway Bridge and the Lensbury mark off Trowlock Island. With the absence of rain during the heatwave there was very little stream but some tricky short tacking was needed to clear the Eyot and this continued all the way up to the Bridge, with some awkward sheltered spots under the trees on the Middlesex bank. The strong sunshine made for warm sailing but the fresh gusty SW wind also produced some welcome cooling. A downstream reach and run give some planing at times over the four round course.

Traditionally sailed for on the first day of Salcombe Merlin Week, in which nine Tamesis boats are competing, the Restless Trophy attracted an entry of seven Merlins. Jon and Fenella Redding were second in Pikey (MR3520).

Results: 1 Luka (3560) Mike Stephens & Fiona Cotterill, 2 Pikey (3520) Jon & Fenella Redding, 3 Smart Cookie (3559) Peter & Richard Mason, 4 GBH (1193) Chris Ledger & Jeremy Thomas, 5 Fair Kop (1212) Barry Mourant & Jim Hamilton, 6 Bad Company (3062) Chris Balmbro & Alex, 7 Broad Scoter (2686) David Peregrine Jones & Fleur Moree.

The heatwave had some very unexpected effects on Jack's 37th Trip on Saturday 26 June. After a 15 mile race from Portsmouth to Lymington in which the wind shifted from a gentle easterly breeze to a spanking southwesterly four yachts finished within two minutes of each other and three actually had the same finishing time. After the application of handicaps the Offshore Cup was won for the second year running by Cicada (Contessa 28) helmed by Steve Osgood and crewed by Ted Neal and Stewart Colley.

A light south easterly breeze gave a close reach to the first mark, North Sturbridge, and first there after a problem identifying the final toot of the five minute starting procedure was Pickle (Dufour 34), skippered by Jeremy Vines with an enthusiastic crew of eight. Jeremy, fresh from his success in the Round the Island Race, was busy on the foredeck preparing the spinnaker. Pickle's kite was soon leading a fleet of colourful nylon. Marigold (Hustler 25.5), helmed by Eric Webb, was second round North Sturbridge followed by Cicada and Andy and David Gibson's Sereia of Mersea (Hustler 25.5). Marigold, sailing with a reduced crew, was the only boat not to fly a kite.

By the time they reached Cowes the breeze had gone and spinnakers collapsed. Wind vanes began revolving uselessly in the Medina popple. The fast running spring tide was taking them over the ground at more than four knots without any wind in the sails and there were several awkward spinnaker collapses which then had to be disentangled from forestays. But a cracking good seabreeze came in from the south west as they passed Gurnard and there was a lively beat to the finish at Berthon. The tidal advantage was on the Island rather than the mainland side and this was a deciding factor in bringing so many boats together at the finish.

Pickle, helmed by Bertrand de Speville, took line honours with an impressive elapsed time of 2.41.23 but her heavy handicap sent her to the back of the fleet. Jeremy and Max had invited everyone to drinks at Pickle Corner, their lovely new home in Lymington and the 37 participants enjoyed Pimms and nibbles before departing for supper at Lymington Town SC. Club Captain Phil England welcomed members after ex-Vice Commodore Chris Morris had said grace, and announced two nominations for the Seacock Trophy from the events of the day. This was followed by a confession from the Offshore Group Captain who admitted to having been seen wearing Marigold rubber gloves to clear a blockage in the heads. He said the lack of a fifth toot at the start had been connected with the use of a temporary bucket and chuckit system during the race which had flushed up the starting procedure!

Handicap results: 1 Cicada (Contessa 28), 2 Shen Shui (Moody 33) Tony & Leonie Steer, 3 Sereia of Mersea (Hustler 2.5.5), 4 Marigold (Hustler 25.5) John & Rita Dunkley, 5 Murena II (Rush 30) Martin & Barbara Adams, 6 Celeste (Beneteau 44) Anne Hutchins, 7 Pickle (Dufour 34) Jeremy & Max Vines.

Contestants get to grips with their spinnakers on route to Cowes (Photo: Anne Hutchins)

Stewart Colley, Steve Osgood and Ted Neal celebrate their victory after returning to Cicada's mooring in Poole (Photo: Stewart Colley)

Jeremy and Max Vines crewed by other members of the Vines family won the JP Morgan Asset Management Family Trophy in the Island Sailing Club's annual Round the Island Race on Saturday 19 June. They also took the Fedalah Challenge Trophy as overall winners of ISCRS Group 6 and won Division 6A and finished 25th overall in a fleet of more than 1,600 boats. Most of the race was sailed in a cold northerly wind which was fairly light for the early starters but which rose in strength later in the morning and exceeded 20 knots at times as competitors were rounding the forts for the last part of the race back to Cowes. Jeremy says they gybed once and tacked twice throughout the whole race. Pickle (GBR9585T), a Dufour 34, completed the 50 mile race in 7 hours 43 minutes and 21 seconds and had a corrected time on handicap of 7 hours 38 minutes and 15 seconds. The other members of the crew were Genie (daughter) and Ed Webb (son-in-law), Mark Brinen (son-in-law), Felix Pickles (nephew), Michael Bayne and Jonathan Cook.

Pickle sailed straight home to Lymington after the race and Jeremy and Max cycled to Cowes for the prizegiving on Sunday via the Lymington-Yarmouth car ferry and home again afterwards.

To see a photo of Jeremy and Max with their Trophies at the prizegiving on Sunday 20 June please click on the following link and select Prize Giving and then Pickle or image number 169010:
http://www.roundtheisland.org.uk/web/code/php/main_c.php?map=rir10&ui=rir2&style=std&override=&section=live&page=photoview2010

Solo trio wins Centenary Cup
Three Solo sailors swung swiftly up and down river to the music of an excellent four piece jazz band in a four hour marathon race to celebrate Tamesis Club's 125th Anniversary on Sunday 6 June and beat an entry of about 80 sailors from other classes to win the much prized Centenary Cup. Teams of as many as eight took turns to sail two rounds of a lenghty course between Canbury and Lensbury, with a sharply angled dogleg opposite the clubhouse, in a warm but fluky north westerly wind that gave a downstream beat and an upriver reach and run. Some of the trickiest moments came as helms and crews changed places at the end of a round.

The winning team were Rob Wilder, Matthew Peregrine Jones and Joe McLaughlin in Wild Wood (Solo 5041). Although they finished behind David Vines, Mike Stephens, Charlie Morgan and Fiona Cotterill in Flinkidink (Merlin Rocket 1097), they had the fastest lap time on handicap. Walrus (Firefly 2282) sailed by Robin and Will Mason, Amy and Roger Morris, and Anna was third. Fourth was Passing Cloud (Merlin Rocket 1079) sailed by Richard, Andrew, John and Harry Harris, Colin Stokes, Caroline Stilwell, Abigail Croft and Ben Ramage.

As the band played on, Brian Timbrell and Nicky Chavasse prepared and served a barbecue lunch and members young and old played boules, badminton and other games on the lawn.

The trophy was presented to the winning team by Louis Derham, who donated the Centenary Cup when he was Commodore at the time of the club's 100th anniversary in 1985, and Club Captain Phil England also gave them a bottle of champagne.

Commodore John Adams, Rob Wilder and daughter Milly with the Centenary Cup, former Commodore Louis Derham, Matthew Peregrine Jones and Joe McLaughlin

Walrus (Firefly2282), Wild Wood (Solo 5041) and other competitors meet Flinkidink (MR 1097) going the other way

The excellent jazz band played on the veranda

Brian Timbrell cooks the barbecue lunch

Mike Stephens wins Yeves Challenge Plate at Bourne End Week

Mike Stephens convincingly won the Yeves Challenge Plate in a fleet of 16 Merlin Rockets at a wet and windy Bourne End Week at Upper Thames SC from Saturday 29 May to Wednesday 2 June. Sailing Flikidink (MR 1097), and crewed by Fiona Cotterill, he was first overall with four firsts, a second and a discarded seventh, beating many leading Merlin helmsmen. Berry Ritchie and Sue Harris were ninth in Crescendo (MR 607). Steve Bartlett was fourth in the Queens Cup race for Thames A Raters on Wednesday crewing for Julian Smith in Scamp (12).

Phil Plumtree enjoys racing success in restored Royal Burnham One Design

Phil Plumtree has been racing Amanda, a Royal Burnham One Design, following her restoration after being off the water for five years. Crewed by Charlie Morgan and Hayley Manning, he was second overall in a no discount series at the Royal Burnham YC Whitsun Regatta for the Georgina Kennedy Memorial Cup on Monday 31 May and finished first in a fleet of eight in the previous week's points race.

The 16 boats that competed in the individual handicap pursuit race for the Burnett Challenge Trophy at Tamesis on Sunday 30 May had to cope with occasional gusts of over 30 mph, rapidly spilling wind as a fresh to stong north westerly made the long beat down river to Lensbury and the upstream run an exercise in survival. There were several spectacular capsizes in water that was disturbingly cold despite the sunshine, two boats retired and one lost its mainsheet but continued after repairs. Several helms decided to sit this one out.
The one and a half hour race was won by Charles Fox and Steve Katz in Ocatillo (National 18 316) with Richard Mourant and Joe Woods a hard fought second in Total Eclipse (Merlin Rocket 3233). Commodore John Adams and Johnnes Wagner were third in Precious (Merlin Rocket 3333).

The worst gusts were those which sped across the Teddington Recreation ground and the Tamesis dinghy park, hitting competitors as they attempted to cross the east-west dogleg opposite the clubhouse, and the open ground near Lensbury and Teddington Lock. The race was organised by Ian Burnett, the Race Officer and donor of the trophy, who presented the prizes.

Results: 1 Ocatillo (National 18 316) Charles Fox & Steve Katz, 2 Total Eclipse (Merlin Rocket 3233) Richard Mourant & Joe Woods, 3 Precious (Merlin Rocket 3333) John Adams & Johannes Wagner, 4 Wild Wood (Solo 5041) Rob Wilder, 5 Grey Dove (Laser 171688) Stewart Colley.

Rear Commodore Steve Katz, Commodore John Adams, Charles Fox and Ian Burnett presenting the Trophy

The National 18 fleet sailed for the Tamesis Anchor and the Queen Adelaide Cup, their major ‘Tamesis members only’ trophies on Saturday 22 May. The racing was in a sunny predominantly easterly Force 1 wind which had plenty of fickle gusts from almost all points of the compass. This led to plenty of place changing especially down in the doldrums, where several places could be gained or lost at the Lensbury buoy rather depending on whether the wind was ‘on’ or ‘off’ on arrival at the buoy … but somehow the leaders generally found their way fairly consistently through this.

Rhapsody (375), sailed by Jeremy and Max Vines, handsomely won the 1937 Tamesis Anchor Trophy (on-the-water results) by four points from Zephyr (374), sailed by Ian Burnett and Anne Bayne, with One over the Eight (349), sailed by Doug Pope and John Adams, third.

Rhapsody also won the 1832 Queen Adelaide Cup (handicap results) by one point from Zephyr, with One over the Eight third.

The fleet was very pleased to welcome some new faces. Eighteeners are always keen to welcome fresh blood to the racing. (Report by Ian Burnett).

Other pictures taken by Carolyne Vines can be viewed by clicking on the following link: Queen Adelaide Cup 2010

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/108701401227809724824/QueenAdelaideCup2010?authkey=Gv1sRgCPD8hfWJsbGyBg&feat=email#

Rob Wilder made the most of a 13 minute handicap advantage to outsail a 26 boat fleet in The Great Tea Race to win the Cutty Sark Bolt at Tamesis on Sunday 16 May. Sailing Wild Wood (Solo 5041), he showed a clean pair of heels to the front runners of both the 16 Merlin Rockets and the seven Lasers, over which he had a seven minute advantage. He won not only the Cutty Sark Bolt, a real Cutty Sark bolt made of Muntz metal mounted on a base of wood from the famous tea clipper, but also two packs of the type of tea she carried from China to Britain. Jon and Augusta Redding were second in Scruffy (Merlin Rocket 3520).

Race Officer John Harris set a fairly long course that made the best of the light to moderate westerly wind but the positions of the marks, with Lensbury well down Trowlock Island, an east-west dogleg in the shadow of the clubhouse, and Canbury upstream of Albany, gave many competitors a challenging time trying to round them.

The trophy was presented by Peter Mason, former Commodore of Tamesis, who was Chief Engineer for the Cutty Sark Conservation Project until last November.

Results: 1 Wild Wood (Solo 5041) Rob Wilder; 2 Scruffy (MR3520) John & Augusta Redding; 3 Luka (MR3560) Mike Stephens & Fiona Cotterill; 4 (MR1871) Andrew Harris & Sally Redhead; 5 Crescendo (MR 607) Berry Ritchie & Chris Ledger.

Charlie Morgan and Hayley Manning were first overall at the second 2010 qualifying de May series meeting for Vintage Merlins at Hunts SC on Saturday 15 May. Sailing Lady Anne (1978), they headed the fleet in all three races in a light to moderate north to north west wind.

Andrew Smith of the Royal Lymington YC crewed by Rory Burdock of Frensham Pond SC won the Munster Cup at Tamesis Club's Cadet open meeting on Saturday 15 May on a day of light and erratic winds that shifted from the north west to west and gave a clear-wind bonus to any boat that was able to break away from the rest of the 11 boat fleet. Sailing Glue String Pudding (9243), they saw off a close challenge from Caroline Croft and Jacob Payne from Frensham Pond SC in Wave Rider (7274). Noah Gerber and Noah Mountstephen of Tamesis were third in Noah's Ark (7628).

Smith and Burdock scored a second in the longer morning race and had two firsts in the afternoon, counting the best two of the three races. Croft and Payne had a first in the morning and two seconds in the afternoon. The fleet was so eager to get off to a good start that a general recall was flagged in the second race, with at least five boats over the line, and there were individual recalls in the other races. Race Officers Peter Simpson and Brian Timbrell sent the first race on three rounds of a longer straight up and down course to Lensbury with the Canbury upriver mark not far beyond the start line. The overall length of the course was shortened for the two afternoon races, with with an east-west dogleg opposite the clubhouse to take account of the westerly shift in the wind. Only 10 boats competed in the second race and nine in the third.

The prizes were presented by Carolyne Vines, Rear Commodore Sailing, and the event was part of the Ian Craig Trophy series.

Wave Rider (7274) and Glue String Pudding (9243) neck and neck approaching the Canbury mark

Rob Wilder finished seventh overall in a 17 boat fleet at the Solo open meeting at Wraysbury Lake SC on Sunday 9 May. He was lamenting the "one the got away" having finished sixth, second and first in the three race event only to find he had been over the line on the last start. The meeting was won by Godfrey Clark of Fishers Green SC with three firsts.

Dave Baker and Jim Green win Bank Holiday Pursuit

The May Bank Holiday Pursuit Race on Monday 3 May was won by David Baker and Jim Green in Andromeda (Merlin 3259) in a fresh to strong, bitterly cold northerly wind.

Pictures taken by Carolyne Vines can be viewed by clicking on the following link:

Elizabeth Cup won by Stuart Hudson and Amy Bowden

Stuart Hudson of Weston SC and Amy Bowden of the Royal Harwich YC sailing (3850) won the Elizabeth Cup in a closely contested three race Firefly open meeting at Tamesis Club on Sunday 25 April.

Race 1 saw several early starters return and was led by Mark Tait and Sally Wakefield at the first mark. They were pressed hard by Steve Greaves and Sophia Hulbert all the way 'till close contact became too close and Greaves was forced to do a 720 on the last lap, opening the door for Stuart Hudson and Amy Bowden to finish second. Alex Davey crewed by Jonquil Brooks finished third with Greaves and Hulbert fourth.

Race 2 saw Davey and Brookes nail the start and they led from start to finish. Behind them there was much place changing as different boats fell in and out of the holes in the wind across the river. Hudson and Bowden again came out second, with Greaves and Hulbert third and Tait and Wakefield fourth.

Going into the last race, four boats could still win. This time Hudson and Bowden nailed the reaching start at the windward end to lead at the first mark. They were able to open up a decent lead but were almost overtaken by Greaves and Hulbert on the last lap having fallen into a hole, but in the end were able to hold an inside overlap at the down river mark and hold on for first in the race and overall. Tait and Wakefield got third in the race behind Greaves and Hulbert with Guy Davison and Lorna Dixon fourth. (Report by Will Mason).

Overall results:- 1 Stuart Hudson and Amy Bowden, Weston SC and Royal Harwich YC 2,2,1; 2 Mark Tait and Sally Wakefield, Itchenor SC 1,4,3; 3 Alex Davey and Jonquil Brookes, Royal Harwich YC 3,1,5; 4 Steve Greaves and Sophia Hulbert, Rickmondsworth SC 4,3,2; 5 Guy Davison and Lorna Dixon, Llangorse SC 6,7,4.

Firefly Junior Cup

Six boats took part in short races for junior crews (all under six years old, one only two) on Saturday 24 April with a picnic lunch on the lawn. Four boats competed again after lunch, followed by tea and a prizegiving. The race was was won by Finnian Morris, aged almost four, sailing with dad Roger in Firefly 3119. Other prizewinners included Madeline Greaves,Thomas Davey, Robbie Hudson and Cameron Bowden, all aged three or four. Rear Commodore Sailing Carolyne Vines gave a small cup which is to be named the Firefly Junior Cup which is to be competed for in the future

Lining up for the start (Photo: Carolyne Vines)

The winning Firefly (Photo: Paul Jamieson)

Pictures taken by Will Mason of the Junior Firefly races can be viewed by clicking on the following link: