Medway Dinghy Regatta at Wilsonian Sailing Club

Silverware winners at the Medway Dinghy Regatta © Roy Winnett

Wilsonian Sailing Club played hosts to Medway Yachting Association’s Dinghy Regatta, over the weekend 10th & 11th July. Locally based MTS Cleaning Services generously sponsored the event and Hyde Sails provided some goodies.

The event proved a great success aided by plenty of sunshine, sparkling seas and temperatures in the high twenties, with an entry of 83 boats representing 17 sailing clubs, including a large contingent from Broxbourne.

Four races were scheduled, two each day, with three to count and a Hog Roast & Disco on Saturday evening. There were fleet starts for fast, medium and slow handicap, 3000, Vortex, Laser 2000, Kestrel and Wayfarer

A light fickle easterly breeze was just sufficient for the first race to be completed. This died away during the lunch break and the start of the afternoon race had to be abandoned after a general recall, as boats drifted down stream on the ebb tide. However the race was started after a short postponement as a force 2 southwesterly picked up. The southwesterly strengthened overnight to force 3 – 5 giving excellent sailing conditions that also kept the rescue boats busy.

Mark Goodchild lifted the fast handicap trophy with two aces and a second to count and won the Canoe International challenge with Simon Allen. Youngsters Aaron Smith/Alec Rodgers (29er) recovered from a disappointing 5th in race 1 to take runners-up spot with a 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Tim Kift/Jo Wicken, in their newly acquired Alto, attained a 1st and 3rd in the light winds, failed to finish race 3 but a 5th in the final race secured third overall. Allen gained a couple of seconds on Sunday to secure fourth prize with Martin Jones (Contender) Fifth.

Ian and Hannah Foxwell (National 12) dominated the Medium handicap fleet with a couple of firsts and a second. Matthew Love won the Blaze tussle with John Player for second and third respectively. While John and Jamie Clementson (Scorpion) competing just on the Sunday won both races and picked-up fourth prize with Amy Adams (Laser Radial) fifth.

David and Sandra Wilson (Graduate) retained the slow handicap crown with ease, losing out just once to second placed David/Jackie Hudson (Miracle). The Miracles of Colin/Maureen Lown and Lesley/Natalie O’Rourke gained third and fourth prizes respectively.

Similarly Jonathan Carter retained the Vortex title, beating Mike Gower into second place with Alan Grant third.

The 3000 entries were down to just four and visitor Joe Pester /Paul Murphy gained victory with a couple firsts and seconds while Martin Brown/Max Caston took second place.

It was a close contest for Laser 2000 honours with all to play for going into Sunday’s races. However, a couple of wins for Colin/Lauren Treadwell secured victory with David Vettergreen/Janice Smith second and John Smith/Sally Taviner third.

Visitors headed the Kestrel fleet; Paul/James Jarvey with a trio of victories, David Hearsum/Duncan Wilson with three seconds to count and Steven Worf/Ian Drummond with a first and two third places.

Richard Stone/Phil Stacey repeated last year’s success as they went undefeated to lift the Wayfarer Matkin Trophy. Brian Lamb/Bobbie Burnell held off the challenge from John Goudie/Mike Arnold/Michael Atkinson to secure second and third prizes respectively

The Bill Stewart Memorial Cup was presented to youngsters Aaron Smith and Alec Rodgers for an exceptional result; second overall in the fast handicap fleet and winning race 3, finishing ahead of the fleet including the Canoe Internationals.

Overall Results/Prizes:

Bill Stewart Memorial Cup
Aaron Smith/Alec Rodgers (Wilsonian SC)

Fast handicap
1st Canoe Int. 265 Mark Goodchild 4pts (Wilsonian SC)
2nd 29er 342 Aaron Smith/Alec Rodgers 6pts (Wilsonian SC)
3rd Alto 109 Tim Kift/Jo Wicken 9pts (Wilsonian SC)
4th Canoe Int. 278 Simon Allen 11pts (Hayling Island SC)
5th Contender 2347 Martin Jones 13pts (Wilsonian SC)

Medium handicap
1st National 12 3162 Ian/Hannah Foxwell 4pts (Wilsonian SC)
2nd Blaze 531 Matthew Love 7pts (Wilsonian SC)
3rd Blaze 609 John Player 9pts (Wilsonian SC)
4th Scorpion 2010 John/Jamie Clementson 18pts (Chipstead SC)
5th Laser Radial 144908 Amy Adams 18pts (Wilsonian SC)

Slow handicap
1st Graduate 2974 David/Sandra Wilson 3pts (Broadwater SC)
2nd Miracle 3795 David/Jackie Hudson 5pts (Wilsonian SC)
3rd 206 Colin/Maureen Lown 8pts (Wilsonian SC)
4th Miracle 3722 Lesley/Natalie O’Rourke 10pts (Wilsonian SC)

Vortex
1st 1153 Jonathan Carter 4pts (Richmansworth SC)
2nd 1013 Mike Gower 6pts (Wilsonian SC)
3rd 1016 Alan Grant 7pts (Deben SC)

3000
1st 3601 Joe Pester/Paul Murphy 4pts (Ullswater SC)
2nd 3608 3rd 3605 Martin Brown/Max Caston 5pts (Wilsonian SC)

Laser 2000
1st 22115 Colin/Lauren Treadwell 4pts (Wilsonian SC)
2nd 2643 David Vettergreen/Janice Smith 5pts (Wilsonian SC)
3rd 21563 John Smith/Sally Taviner 6pts (Netley SC)

Kestrel
1st 1548 Paul/James Jarvey 3pts (Hickling Broad SC)
2nd 1574 David Hearsum/Duncan Wilson 6pts (Alton Water SC)
3rd 1511 Steven Worf/Ian Drummond 7pts (Calshot SC)

Wayfarer
1st 10609 Richard Stone/Phil Stacey 3pts (Medway YC)
2nd 10614 Brian Lamb/Bobbie Burnell 6pts (Wilsonian SC)
3rd 10680 John Goudie/Mike Arnold/Michael Atkinson 9pts (Wilsonian SC)