Firefly at 80: Anniversary raffle lifts turnout across the country

 

The National Firefly Class Association's 80th anniversary boat draw was designed to get Fireflys sailing again, not simply to find one lucky winner. Club fleets that had gone quiet are back out racing.

Open meeting attendance across the 2026 season has run 45% up on last year. Twenty-seven boats went to South Staffs in April. Thirty-six raced the South Western Championship at Restronguet over the late May bank holiday. The Tideway 80th Anniversary Firefly National Championships at Tenby in August drew an entry of 116 boats, the biggest Firefly nationals since 1974. Taken together, it is the strongest run of event figures the class has seen in years.

The headline prize is Firefly F4444, a race-ready boat built by Ovington Boats and supplied complete with Selden spars, Hyde sails and covers, a Sea-Sure rudder and a Sailboat Trailers launch trolley, all donated by the class's supporters. The second ticket drawn wins a Sailteck compass.

But the numbers that matter most are the ones at club level, because you do not have to travel to be in the draw. Tickets can be earned by racing a Firefly at your own club, and that is the part that has quietly put boats back on the water week in, week out.

At West Kirby Sailing Club, weekly Firefly fleet racing returned this season after an absence of several years. Five club boats went afloat, every one of them helmed by a junior, turnout encouraged directly by the anniversary draw and the chance for young sailors to earn a ticket simply by racing.

"In my mind this is exactly what the draw to win a Firefly was intended to achieve," said nationals coordinator Jim Bramley.

West Oxfordshire Sailing Club tells a similar story. All six of the club's Fireflys have been out fleet racing on Wednesday evenings this season, with at least four or five afloat most weeks.

That is the point of it. The anniversary raffle was never really about one boat going to one lucky winner. It was about giving clubs a reason to pull the covers off the Fireflys, find crews, and rebuild fleets that had gone quiet.

Clubs: make sure your results reach the NFA

There is one thing club sailors have to get right. A ticket earned at your own club only counts if the racing is reported. Club sailing secretaries must email their Firefly results to fireflyswarm.sailing@gmail.com before 14 November 2026. Results that are not submitted cannot be counted towards the draw, however many Wednesday evenings it filled.

Every helm and crew must also opt in individually at forms.gle/MSeCVBpEpvcyQp1v7 by 14 November to validate their tickets. Club racing earns one ticket per four days sailed, up to a maximum of five. Open meetings and the Nationals earn a ticket for each helm and each crew. Full terms are on the class website. www.fireflyclass.co.uk/80th-anniversary-year

An eighty-year-old design that still works

Designed by Uffa Fox and first launched in 1946, the Firefly remains a true one-design, in which a seventy-year-old hull can still win a race. Combined with a deliberate push to bring younger sailors into the class, that has shown up in the make-up of the fleet as much as in its size. At Tenby, more than 40% of helms were under 21, and 22 boats were helmed by women.

"We are proud that the Boat Raffle to celebrate our 80th Anniversary has got so many Fireflys out of the boat park and onto the water," said Jenny Smallwood, Chairwoman of the National Firefly Association. "It is amazing that both open meeting attendance and weekly club racing has been boosted this year. If you've got a boat being overgrown by weeds at your local club, get it out sailing this autumn!"

How to take part

Five open meetings remain before the deadline, beginning with the Inland Championships on 19 and 20 September, and every one of them is a chance to add tickets. The draw takes place at the NFA 80th Anniversary Dinner on Saturday 21 November 2026 at the Royal Thames Yacht Club, made in public and witnessed by NFA officers and class sponsors.

The 2026 Tideway 80th Anniversary Firefly National Championships were supported by Tideway Wealth, Gill, Ovington Boats, Selden, Hyde Sails, Sailboat Trailers, Craftinsure and Marlow Ropes.

Allspars Final Fling Dinghy Regatta

 

For the ninth year running, the Allspars Final Fling Dinghy Regatta returns on the 17th & 18th October 2026. Bringing with it the excitement, camaraderie and competitive spirit that have made this end-of-season regatta a favourite among dinghy sailors across the UK, building on the momentum of previous years, where sailors from clubs nationwide descended on Plymouth for two days of lively racing, with new courses.

Competitors can once again expect a full and dynamic weekend of sailing, with multiple races scheduled across both days. Historically, the event has delivered a mixture of short-course competition and a longer challenge such as the iconic Around the Breakwater race, creating a regatta that tests skill, stamina and teamwork in equal measure.

Supported proudly by Allspars and hosted by the Royal Western Yacht Club, the regatta has grown into one of the UK's favourite end-of-season dinghy events, attracting an incredible variety of boats and sailors. With that growth has come valuable feedback, and we've been listening.

For 2026, our new Principal Race Officer is developing updated race course formats designed to improve the on-water experience for all competitors, particularly where faster and slower handicap fleets share the same race area. The aim is simple: more great racing, fewer frustrations, and plenty of fun, whether you're sailing a Mirror, Merlin Rocket, Phantom, B14, Moth, Skiff or anything in between.

We're also delighted to confirm that the 2026 Final Fling will host:

B14 Traveller Series event

Phantom Open Meeting

Merlin Rocket Silver Tiller event

And of course, we'll be looking to bring back the ever-popular Round Breakwater Race, weather permitting.

Thank you to everyone who has supported the event over the years. Your feedback helps us continue to improve and grow.

Top Three Winter Sun Sailing Options

 

🥇 1. British Virgin Islands — my first choice

If you want a 7-day sailing holiday where the sailing itself is a major part of the experience, I'd put the BVI at the top.

You get:

Short, enjoyable sailing legs

Lots of sheltered anchorages

Warm water around 26°C

Reliable trade winds

Fantastic snorkelling

Beautiful beaches

Plenty of good restaurants and beach bars

Very little need for long passages

January–March is particularly good, although February is often considered one of the best months.

Ideal itinerary: Tortola → Norman Island → Peter Island → Cooper Island → Virgin Gorda → Anegada → Jost Van Dyke → Tortola.

🥈 2. Seychelles — spectacular tropical sailing

The attraction is that the sailing is combined with extraordinarily beautiful islands: granite cliffs, enormous boulders, jungle, deserted beaches and excellent snorkelling.

December–March brings warm temperatures around 29°C and generally lighter winds, typically around 5–15 knots, with occasional short rain showers.

Best for: a relaxed luxury catamaran + swimming + exploring ashore holiday rather than hard-core sailing.

🥉 3. Grenadines — perhaps the most romantic

Ideal itinerary: 

St Vincent → Bequia → Mustique → Canouan → Tobago Cays → Mayreau → Union Island.

The Tobago Cays are a major highlight — turquoise water, reefs, turtles and small uninhabited islands.

I'd choose the Grenadines over the BVI if you want the holiday to feel more remote and less developed.

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2026 Specsavers International Cadet UK Inland Championship at Rutland Sailing Club

 

A new chapter begins at this year's Specsavers International Cadet Inland Championship as Rutland Sailing Club prepares to welcome the UK's best young Cadet sailors for a weekend of close racing on 19th and 20th September.

There has been a changing of the guard. With many of the class's established helms now taking a well-earned bow from Cadet sailing, moving on to exciting new challenges in other classes. Their departure leaves behind not only impressive results, but also an opportunity for the next generation to make their mark.

Next weekend, the spotlight shifts to the sailors ready to step up. Former crews will be looking to prove they can lead from the back as they take the helm, while a talented group of up-and-coming helms will be eager to show exactly what they're capable of. In the regatta fleet, expect plenty of fresh faces, growing confidence, and some fiercely contested racing as tomorrow's stars begin to emerge.

With 2027 marking the 80th anniversary of the International Cadet Class, this new season promises to be one of the most exciting in recent memory. The class is on a genuine upward trajectory, with growing fleets, renewed enthusiasm, and a clear vision for the future. The goal is ambitious but achievable: 80 boats on the start line at the 2027 National Championship in Brixham, Devon, next August - a fitting celebration of eight decades of one of the world's greatest youth sailing classes.

Rutland's open water has a reputation for producing tactical, exciting racing, and with the fleet more open than it has been for years, predicting a winner is harder than ever. One thing is certain: by the end of the weekend, new names will have announced themselves as the ones to watch.

The road to the 80th anniversary starts here.

Official Notice Board and Online Entry is located at www.cadetclass.org.uk/events

Supernova class at the Loch Lomond Dinghy Weekend 2026

 

Five Scottish Supernova sailors registered for the Loch Lomond Dinghy Weekend from both Castle Semple and Port Edgar. Unfortunately, Calum didn't manage to get there but did post a picture of his space saver spare wheel on the car to explain why. Now we were four.

Saturday started flat calm with a breeze gentle breeze forecast. We got on the water at 12.30 and had a gentle sail to the race area. We were 3rd start with the low rider Moths behind the Blazes and fast handicap. Pete Sykes took the lead from Andy MacDonald followed by Rob Plant and Gary O'Conner. Rob sailed the wrong course and just thought he was in the lead until he realised and consequently scored a DNF.

Race two was delayed as the wind shifted about 90 degrees to the west and the RO team re-laid the marks. This time the pin end of the line was favoured but as Andy discovered, it was overrun with Moths. Pete took the gap at the committee boat end and found clear air. This time Rob got ahead of Andy after a bad shift left him in a hole with nowhere to go. Race three was similar to race one, but this time Rob sailed the right course and at the end only one minute covered all 4 boats.

There then followed a wind-less interlude with many competitors willing the RO to let us sail back to shore and the RO apparently saying "Give it 10 minutes and see what comes" more than once. When it did come the wind went from 2 to 20 kn in the space of a minute and as it had shifted back 45 degrees, the course was re-laid for the final, rather windy race. Later that evening the Supernova sailors visited The Oak Tree in Balmaha for dinner with Andy and Garry then moving to the clubhouse bar.

On Sunday we woke to calm before the storm. As we sailed out expectations were low as the committee boat had the AP flying. But the wind filled from the south and/or southwest, occasionally west and a course was laid after with just a couple of adjustments as the wind gods made their minds up. The first beat was long and Andy and Pete battled ahead. Rob and Garry were now getting much closer to the front two.

On the second beat, Pete somehow decided that orange was the new yellow and opted to sail on the longer beat on the wrong side of the course rather than the shorter beat on the correct side. Andy got the win this time and while Pete caught Rob at the last leeward mark, he then managed to tack onto starboard to avoid sailing under two GP14s only to find they tacked too. This blocked his return to port tack while Rob spotted the shift and got lifted all the way to the line .

For race 2 on Sunday, the wind was still building and swinging about. The beat was hard with knockdown gusts, then suddenly nothing closely followed by back to heavy wind. Andy had the lead until the short last beat where a hole of nothing swallowed him up letting Pete and Rob through with Andy only to recover and beat Rob by a fraction of a second.

Race 3 was thankfully a quieter affair and the RO managed a course change again to cope with the new wind direction (more south this time) The course was shorter and sailors were soon heading back to harbour. When, of course, the wind dutifully shifted back to west, giving a dead run in a strong wind onto a busy slip with more than one competitor getting their first capsize of the weekend on arrival.

Overall, an excellent weekend of fun and learning for all (Calum remember a real size spare tyre) congratulations to Pete Sykes on 1st, Andy MacDonald 2nd, Rob Plant 3rd and getting faster and Gary O'Connor who was right on the tail of the fleet by the end. Also, a massive thank you to Loch Lomond Sailing Club for hosting such a great event and to the ROs for excellent race management in some really challenging conditions.

Overall Results:

Pos Sail No Helm Club R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 Pts

1st 1372 Pete Sykes PEYC 1 1 1 1 ‑3 1 1 6

2nd 1175  Andrew Macdonald  Castle Semple SC 2 ‑3 2 2 1 2 3 12

3rd 548   Robert Plant Castle Semple SC (DNC) 2 3 3 2 3 2 15

4th 1059 Garry OConnor PEYC 3 (RET) 4 4 4 4 4 23

5th 1204 Calum Robertson PEYC DNC (DNC) DNC DNC DN DNC 29

Just 67 seconds separate top sailing crews in thrilling Cowes-France race

A THRILLING race from the Isle of Wight to France ended with just over a minute separating the leading yachts, as Midnight Blues claimed overall victory in the 2026 RORC Nautical Cloud Cherbourg Race.

The 75-nautical-mile offshore contest, organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) and JOG, started from Cowes on Friday last week (September 4), before crews crossed the English Channel to the finish in the French port of Cherbourg-en-Cotentin.

French skipper, Jean-Eudes Renier, and Joe Lacey, guided the Pogo RC Midnight Blues to IRC Overall honours and monohull line victory after a dramatic battle with Gery Trentesaux's Courrier Pogo.

Midnight Blues crossed the line just 67 seconds ahead, but securing victory by 2mins 3secs after IRC correction.

Simon Bamford and Ben Ibbotson aboard Sun Fast 3300 Kestrel, completed the overall podium.

The race proved fiercely competitive, with the top 15 boats separated by little more than an hour on corrected time.

The victory earned Midnight Blues a notable treble — taking IRC Overall, IRC Two and Monohull Line honours.

Elsewhere, Jon McColl's Shuttleworth 34 Shockwave was the fastest multihull across the Channel, completing the course from Cowes to Cherbourg in 6hrs 33mins 25secs.

However, Didier Bouillard's Minor Swing claimed the multihull class win after time correction.

 

Hadron H2 National Championship at Keyhaven Yacht Club

 

The tenth National Championship of the Hadron H2 class, hosted by Keyhaven YC, will take place over three days, starting this Friday. The forecast, for light to moderate winds, with perhaps a little more on the final day, suggests that there might be quite a few helms among the more than twenty-one entries who will fancy their chances.

At last year's event, held at WPNSA, Richard Leftley and Richard Le Mare had a very close struggle for the top place in generally moderate to strong winds. Richard Leftley finished only 3 metres ahead of Richard Le Mare in two races and the final difference was just one point.

But there are several other strong candidates for the top place. Current leader in the 2026 Travellers Trophy series, with two wins and two seconds in the six events to date, is Tim Garvin, back into an H2 after a foray into the International Canoe Class. Tim Blackmore, newcomer to the H2 but with a fine reputation in other classes, will also be a significant challenger. Dave Barker has been a little out of practice lately but the weather will suit his lighter weight and he is more than capable of being near the top. But all the above will be keeping a close watch on Gavin Fleming, third in last year's Nationals and currently one point behind Tim Garvin in the Travellers Series.

Our favourite PRO, 'The Line is Mine' Dougal Henshall, will be keeping a firm grip on the fleet and is the ideal person to manage the rather challenging circumstances of wind and tide that are common at Keyhaven.

Holy Loch Sailing Club competitors battle light winds

 

HOLY LOCH Sailing Club competitors faced challenging conditions as the sailing season moved towards its conclusion, with 15 boats taking part in Wednesday evening’s racing.

A mere hint of a westerly breeze greeted competitors as they set off in a massed start, with sailors keen to make the most of the fading daylight.

Six boats contested the piper class, with Tom Piper, still buoyed by the recent Championship success, taking the early initiative with an excellent start.

The crew built a healthy lead during the first round, but the light air then deserted the fleet towards the end of the lap, allowing the boats to close up and effectively restart the race.

An easterly breeze then introduced itself and gradually increased in strength towards the finish.

Duncan Munro, Stuart Brown and Ali Gordon regained their advantage to take a well-deserved victory aboard Tom Piper.

Meanwhile, Staypuff, skippered by Robert Towart, made progress after a slow start to finish second.

The result sets up a final postponed race to decide the overall winner of the final series of the season, with Tom Piper and Staypuff now comfortably ahead on points.

Four flying fifteens took to the water for a closely fought race, with all fleets starting together.

Determined not to repeat a previous over-the-line disqualification, More Mischieff took a cautious approach and crossed the start on the third row.

Fortune soon turned in their favour, however, when the crew found their own private gust of wind and swept past the competition to establish a narrow lead by the first mark.

By the third mark, More Mischieff had built what appeared to be a comfortable advantage, but the fading breeze towards the end of the first lap allowed Good Moaning to dramatically close the gap.

More Mischieff responded strongly on the second lap, opening up another advantage and holding firm until the finish to secure victory.

Further back, Efficacious mounted a late challenge and pushed hard during the closing stages, but ultimately fell just short of catching Good Moaning, which held on for second.

Four boats competed in the White Sail fleet and struggled with the light wind on the massed start line.

The fleet enjoyed close racing, with Atia taking the win once handicaps were applied.

Elsewhere, six boats took to the water for Tuesday evening’s dinghy race in a fresh breeze which provided plenty of excitement and kept the rescue boat crew on their toes.

Victory initially appeared to be heading the way of Ali Gordon in his Solo, but a late capsize dramatically changed the outcome.

Harris Munns, sailing a Laser Radial, seized the opportunity to take the lead and secure victory.

Full results :-

Piper class: 1, – Tom Piper (Duncan Munro, Ali Gordon, Stuart Brown); 2, – Staypuff (Robert Towart, Caroline Clarke, Charmaine Boyd); 3, – Billie Piper (Iain Hurrel, Graeme Murray); 4, – Leander (Alan Waugh, James Heggarty); 5, – Selena (Alastair McLean, Abi); 6, – Talisker (Jamie Rogers, Matilda McLaren, Neil McLaren).

Flying fifteen class: 1, – More Mischieff (Chris Bowen, Marion Bowen); 2, -Good Moaning (Iain Sinclair, Kirsty Brown); 3, – Efficacious (Tommy McGeachie, Susan McGeachie); 4, – Woffle (Jim Maclean, Mr Iain)

White sail class: 1, – Atia (UFO 27) (Duncan Chalmers, Ali Marshall); 2, – Moonlight (Sonata) (Nigel Scriven, Derek Webber, Chris Wilson); 3, – Judicious (J30) (Jim Hoey, Andrew Leech, Ralph Houston, Clare); 4, – Mike Honcho (J24) (Fin Hurrel, Ross Noble, Harris Munns, James Russell).

Dinghy results: 1, – All the Gear (Laser Radial) (Harris Munns); 2, – Solo (Ali Gordon); 3, – Laser (Fin Hurrel); 4, – Black Jack (Laser Radial) (Barnaby Munns); 5, – Space Hopper (Mirror) (Andrew Leech); retired, – Laser Radial (Darcy Cameron).

International Moth Scottish Championship at Loch Lomond Dinghy Weekend

 

The Garda of Scotland greeted the International Moth class on the 5th and 6th of September as part of Loch Lomond's Annual Dinghy Weekend.

The Regatta was split into 2 courses, with foiling boats (Moths and Waszps) on one and traditional boats on another. The breeze was shifty with lots of holes providing some difficulty in setting a course. Despite this, the race team, led by Duncan and the Hepplewhite family of Emma, Ellie, David, Kiara and Susie Edmond ran 4 outstanding races.

The first race started with James Sainsbury floating his P1 Aerocet onto the foils to take an early lead, unfortunately the breeze collapsed and the race was abandoned.

After a period of waiting, Race 1 restarted with freshening breeze, Joe Adams (Exploder V2) and Matt Lea (Aerocet) foiling off the pin. Adams took an early lead and proceeded to sail to the wrong windward mark, opening the door for Sainsbury to take the win ahead of his Rutland team mate Lea, with Donald Smith (Mach 2) cruising to a great 3rd place.

Race 2 started with Sainsbury pushing the line too hard and having to quickly gybe around the boat end. Lea and Adams drag raced out on port. Adams nailed the tack and hit the lay to take the lead, staying on the foils for the whole race to take a comfortable bullet. Lea and Sainsbury had a great battle managing the snakes and ladders, with Sainsbury ultimately linking the puffs better and taking 2nd place with Lea coming home 3rd.

Some drama between races, as Matt Lea’s new boat lost its rig. The safety crew led by Iain Hepplewhite and Simon Becket helped to recover the state of the art Aerocet to shore. Terrible luck for Matt, fortunately no lasting damage to man or machine and the boat was ready to sail again by the end of the day.

Race 3 kicked off with a stiffening breeze, which ended up dragging the windward mark downwind, resulting in a very skewed course, a rapid and exciting race! Adams hit the line fast and took a commanding lead from Sainsbury. The moths then led an exhilarating blast through the Waszp fleet who started 3 minutes ahead. Zigzagging through the Waszps at 27 knots was very good fun. Positions held, with Adams winning the race, Sainsbury 2nd and Phil Alderson (Exocet) coming through to take 3rd in his first ever Moth event.

Race 4 started low riding, but with breeze funneling from left and right, the fleet was optimistic that foiling was on the cards. Unfortunately the wind cancelled itself out and the race concluded with boats still not on the foils, Adams led from Sainsbury closely followed by Alderson for a very slow finish. Frustratingly, the breeze filled in shortly after.

By this stage, the fleet had been on the water for 4 hours and the decision was made to head in for beer and warmth.

Overall Joe Adams took the Scottish Champs ahead of James Sainsbury in a close 2nd with Phil Alderson coming 3rd.

The Moth Class is going from strength to strength, with affordable and competitive boats readily available and growth in all corners of the country, there has never been a better time to get involved.

Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy is hosting a Moth demo weekend on the 3rd and 4th of October. If you would like to try a moth or look at moths for sale - this is the best chance to do so.

Following this, the Moths are concluding 2027 with the End of Season Championship hosted at Rutland Sailing Club on the 17th and 18th of October.

ILCA Open at Derwent Reservoir Sailing Club

 

Derwent Reservoir Sailing Club welcomed 19 entrants to their annual ILCA open on Saturday 5th September, forming part of both the 2026 ILCA Lakeland & Borders Series and the ILCA Regional Youth Series (the latter being kindly sponsored by Rooster).

Competitors were welcomed by blue skies and a fresh breeze as they rigged ahead of a 12pm start with four races scheduled back to back. The forecast was for 14-25kts westerly, with the wind proving to be at the upper limit of that range throughout racing.

A mix of triangle, sausage, and triangle/sausage courses were sailed and the pecking order at the front of the fleet was soon established. On the water the racing at the front was close between the ILCA6 of Toby Waggett, Spirit Alderson and Henry Blades, and the ILCA7's of Alastair Conn and Greg Liggins. Further down the fleet, there was significant attrition of the fleet size, as a number of sailors re-evaluated their decision to sail, either on the blast downwind to the race area, or as racing progressed.

PRO Hender Blewett and team ran a prompt set of races with short turnarounds in between.

In the Lakeland Open event which is scored on a single fleet based upon PY, the top 3 were nothing but consistent as Toby took a string of bullets, followed by Spirit recording four second places and Alastair all third places.

For the Youth Series the results are awarded on the basis of separate rig fleets. Henry took third place in the male ILCA6 class after Toby and Spirit, with Alanna Starkie first female ILCA6. Generous prizes were provided by Rooster as sponsor of the ILCA Regional Youth Series.

Thank were noted at the prize-giving to the number of club volunteers who made the event possible. DRSC once again proved its ability to run quality racing in beautiful surroundings and the club looks forward to seeing the fleet return again in 2027.

Youth charity appeals for sailing equipment donations to support young people

 

 YOUTH sailing charity is appealing for help to support young people on life-changing sailing adventures.

Ocean Youth Trust Scotland (OYT Scotland) is calling on the public and businesses to donate equipment such as large holdalls and sleeping bags.

The charity is currently in need of 10 new or nearly-new sports holdalls or rucksacks—up to 80 litres in size and without a metal frame—as well as 10 sleeping bags suitable for two to three seasons.

OYT Scotland offers sail training voyages to young people, many of whom come from disadvantaged backgrounds and may not have access to the right gear.

OYT Scotland said: "We want to keep our voyages affordable and accessible for everyone.

"Having a supply of spare kit helps us make sure that no young person misses out on the opportunity to sail with us because they don't have the right equipment."

The charity is asking individuals and businesses to consider donating the items to help ensure no young person is excluded.

Those able to help are encouraged to contact OYT Scotland by calling 01475 722722 or emailing office@oytscotland.org.uk.

Hornet Dinghy Exe Sails National Championship 2026 at Shoreham Sailing Club

 

The 15 boats competing were subject to a very well run championship by Shoreham SC and shared with the National 12s. The first day was quickly blown off with reports of 50 knot gusts on Worthing pier.

The racing got going on a suitably windy Sunday - undeterred by first race nerves (obviously a Hornet is more sedate than a 29er!) Jac Bailey & Morgan Rogers did a port tack flyer crossing the fleet by a few lengths. Unfortunately they went backwards as the race went on - more on that later!

The race results were a bit of an omen of what was to follow - Nathan Batchelor & Sam Pascoe led from start to finish with a close battle behind where Terry Curtis & Gavin Poullion finished ahead of the recently refurbished boat raced by locals Will McGrath & new crew John White.

Good to see previous Hornet champion Will making a return to the fleet in a borrowed boat, showing he hasn't lost his touch and recruiting a new crew to the Hornet class.

The second race had a port bias again with Justin Jones & Chris Anderson firing out on port tack. In race three, Hornet boat building master Tim Coombe despite his apparent long lead times, tried to add his own boat onto the job sheet with a tussle with Michael McNamara!

Despite the blistering start in race one, little was seen of youngsters Jac & Morgan - it transpires they were slowly sinking!

Back ashore the Hornet class camaraderie was apparent, event leader Sam Pascoe grabbed a grinder and ably assisted with materials & consumables from Terry Curtis had the boat stuck back together ready for racing the next day.

The second day of racing became more full on than the first - getting back into the harbour after racing was best described as fresh to frightening! Plenty of acrobatics were evident as crews were wiped off the gunnel with increasing sea state as the tide turned. 2 boats finished the day with no capsizing!

The final day of racing was picture perfect - a warm building breeze with fully powered reaches and less scared faces! Some different faces popped out at the sharp end of the fleet with Michael McNamara & Harry Chatterton and Jac Bailey & Morgan Rogers (now floating much higher) getting well stuck in.

A productive class meeting was held during the regatta, with eyes firmly on the classes 75th anniversary next year with the National Championships to be held at Stone Sailing club 9th - 12th July.

Shoreham Sailing Club use the strapline 'the home of real sea sailing' and the Hornet class wholeheartedly agree! A big thanks for all the many volunteers from SSC who put on a terrific event for the Hornet class.

Overall Results:

Pos Sail No Helm Crew Club R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 Pts

1st 2168 Nathan Batchelor Sam Pascoe Tynemouth SC ‑1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7

2nd 2093 Terry Curtis Gavin Poulloin Castle Cove SC 2 2 2 3 ‑5 3 5 3 20

3rd 2151 Will McGrath John White Shoreham SC 3 3 4 2 2 2 ‑6 5 21

4th 2109 Michael McNamara Harry Chatterton Rollesby Broad Sailing Club (RET) 6 3 5 8 4 2 2 30

5th 2165 Richard Garry Sam Woolner Starcross YC 5 4 5 4 3 ‑9 7 6 34

6th 2160 Nigel Skudder Keith Hills Starcross Yacht Club 6 5 6 (RET) DNS 6 4 8 51

7th 2103 Dean Saxton Adam Saxton Maylandsea Bay 7 ‑12 9 7 4 10 9 9 55

8th 2077 Tim Coombe Kevin Francis Starcross Yacht Club 8 9 (DNC) 6 RET 5 8 7 59

9th 2180 Jac Bailey Morgan Rogers PDSC 13 (DNC) DNC 8 6 12 3 4 62

10th 2155 Duncan West William West Starcross YC ‑11 10 7 10 7 7 11 10 62

11th 2157 Alex Adams Sarah Batchelor Tynemouth SC 10 8 8 9 (DNS) DNC DNC DNC 83

12th 2193 Justin Jones Christopher Anderson SSSC/ The Chase SC 4 7 10 (RET) DNC DNC DNC DNC 85

13th 2141 John Shelton Ivan Walsh Shoreham Sailing Club 9 11 (DNS) DNS DNS 8 13 DNC 89

14th 2190 Jon Williams Pippa Rogers Starcross YC 12 (DNS) DNC DNC DNC 11 10 11 92

15th 2185 Simon White Lewis Harris Maldon yacht club (DNS) DNC DNC DNC DNC 13 12 DNC 105

Emirates GBR's Fightback Falls Just Short in Valencia

 

Emirates GBR started the day third in Group A, with their sights firmly set on breaking into the top two. In the light conditions, getting around Mark 1 in the lead and staying on the foils was crucial. Once ahead, teams could build an almost unassailable advantage. As SailGP commentator Todd Harris described it, it was "like shopping on New Year's Eve with no one else in the store."

Red Bull Italy led the fleet to the first mark, with Artemis and Emirates GBR battling behind. GBR eventually closed the gap to Artemis, but both boats fell off the foils, allowing New Zealand's Black Foils through and giving Italy the opportunity to extend their advantage at the front.

Then came a spectacular fightback from Emirates GBR. The British team found the speed to get back onto the foils, passing Artemis down the run before working their way past New Zealand and into second place. With Australia down in fifth, that position put Emirates GBR back in contention for a place in the Event Final.

Italy continued to stretch their lead and went on to take the race win, with Emirates GBR crossing the line second. The British team then faced an anxious wait to see where Australia would finish.

The final mark provided another dramatic twist. Artemis split from Australia and took the left-hand side, forcing the Swedish team to complete two manoeuvres before making the final run to the finish. The decision did not pay off, allowing Australia to finish ahead of Artemis and secure their place in the Event Final.

The Valencia result sees Emirates GBR drop to fifth overall in the Season Championship standings, but importantly the team gained ground on the top three as the battle to reach the winner-takes-all Grand Final intensifies.

"We stepped up, sailed the boat really well and fought our way back through the fleet. Ultimately, we didn't quite get it done, which is frustrating, but there are a lot of positives to take from how we sailed.

"We've dropped a place in the overall standings, but the reality is we're now closer on points to the top three and that all-important place in the end-of-season Grand Final.

"From here on in, it's going to be a huge fight to secure that spot. The fleet is incredibly close and so much can change from one event to another. We're right in the fight and we're going to give it absolutely everything."

Next up, SailGP heads to Geneva on 19-20 September for the second Rolex Switzerland Sail Grand Prix.