Young sailors impress at Bosham... Chichester sailor ready for round-island challenge

Ten boats took part in the annual long-distance race for the Clarina Cup.

Light winds meant the fleet was not sent as far afield as in some years, but after a couple of hours Richard and Mandy Stirrup secured first place in their Chichester Harbour 18, with Dick Pratt in his Sharpie in second place.

The cadet whitsun weekend series consisted of five races over two days with a total of 41 boats taking part. First place was hotly contested between Robert Russell in his Topper and a 420 helmed by Charlie Knottenbelt, crewed by Ben Heber.

Both achieved a first place and a third, but Russell clinched the trophy in the final race with a third place. Tom Gogarty and Barney Watney in their RS Feva secured third overall.

Bosham Sailing Club’s youngest members completed their first Cutmill series of ten races.

When the tide permits racing is held on the sheltered waters north of Bosham towards the A259, well out of the way of other bigger boats.

Safe in their own part of the harbour, the fleet of boys and girls aged eight to 12 have had to put up with everything the English spring weather could throw at them.  

Tris Mayhew, Optimist class captain, said: “This has been another great start to the sailing season and it’s wonderful to see so many young sailors gaining in confidence every weekend.”

The fleet of around 30 boats now look forward to more racing in the summer and Bosham Junior Week in August, the highight of the season.

ROUND THE ISLAND RACE

Chichester sailor Chris Colbourne will compete on one of the 1,700 boats in one of Britain’s largest sporting events of 2015, the JP Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race on Saturday, June 27.

Colbourne and his four crew members of Maurie will be among the 16,000 sailors set to master one of the world’s largest yacht races.

The Itchenor Sailing club member will take on the race for the first time as skipper.

He said: “We and the crew decided it would be fun to take part in this year’s race on board our cruising catamaran, the only one of its type in the UK. Previous to this year’s race I have crewed alongside my brother; however this will be my first time to take on the race as skipper, which is quite exciting.”

The famous 50-nautical-mile race around the Isle of Wight, now in its 84th year and organised by the Island Sailing Club, is an all-encompassing event.

Its unique ‘race for all’ ethos caters for and embraces first timers, families, amateurs and professionals competing at the highest level. Its official charity is the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust, for which £189,000 has been raised.

DELL QUAY

The final two races of the Dell Quay Early Trophy race series encouraged a good turnout from the Solo and handicap fleets.

The handicap fleet saw entrants at both extremes of speed – an RS 800, with its twin trapezes and huge gennaker, and a Lymington River Scow, a small, tubby dinghy built for happy practical sailing rather than speed.

But in the day’s first race the tortoise trounced the hare, with John and Liz Sagues harrying the faster boats ahead by picking good shifts on both beats and flying their spinnaker effectively to save their handicap advantage.

The Scow won on corrected time from Andrew Buchanan (Finn), while the RS 800 languished in last place in the fleet of seven.

Two more long laps in race two proved a distance too far for the Scow, which retired, while Sue Manning (Laser 4.7) and Phoebe Noble (Laser Radial) continued to prove the point that slow boats can triumph, tying for first place on corrected time.

That position gave Noble the Early Trophy handicap trophy, nudging out Buchanan by half a point. Rob Corfield, with various crews through the series, took third place overall.

With first and second places in the Solo Trophy series already won and the leaders staying at home, the battle was on for series third place – with Mike Dicker, Nikky Buchanan and David Swift in equal third.

Light airs and frequent lulls made the first race one of luck and chance, with first place taken by Ken Baker and second by Fred Hilgers, who got clear of the fleet and benefit from clear air.

A welcome increase in wind brought a very competitive start to the second race with much congestion and hailing at the first mark.

In the melee, Swift broke away to clear air and led for most of the course, being pipped by Baker close to the last mark as he again took first.

Overall Solo Trophy series results: 1 Bill Dawber, 2 Malcolm Buchanan, 3 David Swift.

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