Firefly Inland Championship at Chew Valley Lake Sailing Club

Firefly Inlands at Chew Valley Lake © Errol Edwards

Firefly Inlands at Chew Valley Lake © Errol Edwards

The 2014 Firefly Inlands were held at Chew Valley Lake Sailing Club this year and there was a fabulous turnout of 20 boats, including 6 from Bath University and 6 from the local colleges. Competitors arrived from far and wide in torrential downpour but lucky for all the skies cleared in time for rigging and the wind blew in to provide a fantastic afternoon's sailing in the glorious sunshine lit surroundings.

Three swift races were run with precision by the Chew Valley Race committee each with a different winner leaving the top 7 boats closely matched at the end of day one, but with Stuart Hudson and Sally Wakefield narrowly leading from Jono and Sarah Pank and Dave and Betty Sincock.

Post racing Stu Hudson and Jono Pank supplied a quick tutorial on optimising rig settings on a Firefly for all before adjourning to the bar which was left to run smoothly and with great trust on behalf of the club, by Bath University students.

A curry house soon beckoned and as luck would have it there was one a stone's throw from the club gates. We somehow over ordered on a massive scale however and Stu Hudson suffered his biggest defeat of the weekend unable to finish his own curry! (Very sad)

Sunday initially provided little wind for racing but at least the sun stayed out.

In race 1 on Sunday the Sincocks' looked to do their traditional horizon job after making hugh gains on the left whilst the Panks' OCS'd and had to restart. Nothing was decided till the final beat and run with patches of wind, and swings in direction, all over the course. Stu and Sally came out just ahead of Nick Martingdale and Olivia Jones from the host club with Jono and Sarah salvaging 3rd.

Firefly Inlands at Chew Valley Lake - photo © Errol Edwards

The second race saw Jono and Sarah take a commanding lead with Stuart and Sally 2nd and Guy and Francis Davison in 3rd however the first 2 boats missed the spreader mark on the run and had to beat back to it. Stu and Sally weren't too badly affected and on the next beat took advantage of a huge right shift to close right up to and then overtake Guy and Francis and take the inlands title, with Mike and Debs Steele in 3rd and James Neilson and Sophie Sirera from Bath Uni in 4th.

The wind was starting to build a little for the last race and Sincocks made the best start but were past by Panks who secured 2nd overall.

Thank must go to Chew Valley lake for a great weekends sailing and flawless organisation and race management.

Overall Results:

1st Lady: Scarlet Marzoni and Emma Stevens (Millfield School)
Under 16: Alex Colquit and Hollie Marston (West Kirby SC)
Under 18: Max Hein and Octavia Greig (Millfield School)
Under 21: Tom Williams and Emily Fardell (Bath Uni)

Firefly Inlands prize winners at Chew Valley Lake - photo © Frances Davison