Firefly Inland Championships at Bough Beech SC and Chipstead SC

Paul Kameen and James Rudd Jones - Winners of the Firefly Inland Championships 2015 © Neil Banks

Alex and Thomas Davey - 2nd at the Firefly Inland Championships 2015 © Neil Banks

Jamie and Angus McEwan - 3rd at the Firefly Inland Championships 2015 © Neil Banks

Wall to wall sunshine, decent breeze, close racing, friendly hosts and fantastic cake. If that sounds like your idea of an ideal weekends sailing then you should have been at the Firefly inlands last weekend!

This year the format was slightly different from normal with the inlands to be contested over 2 days at 2 clubs, firstly at Bough Beech SC and then Chipstead SC.

Visitors were greeted by bright sunshine but a rather glassy looking reservoir as they arrived at BBSC on Saturday morning, where they were joined by local boats from BBSC, Sevenoaks and Tonbridge schools. Fortunately by time race officer Andy Cornah had finished his briefing a fairly stable force 2 had built so the fleet headed straight out for 2 races.

In race one the majority of the fleet headed towards Andy Cornah set some good courses with a port hand square fitting the bill. The father and son team of Jamie and Angus McEwan were the early pace setters and with Ian Dobson and Gemma Marshall 2nd and Paul Kameen and Isabelle Gordon 3rd.

In the next race Alex and Jamie battled it out with Alex and Thomas getting the win and Mike and Debs Steele getting 3rd. In for lunch and lots of chat about where to watch the rugby, everyone a bit nervous.

Then we had a race of snakes and ladders sailing a P-shaped course. The wind fluctuated a lot and in a drag race to the line Paul and Issy won in a photo finish from Alex and Thomas. In the final race the wind filled in and Alex and Thomas took the win with Paul and Issy 2nd and Ian and Gemma 3rd.

This meant that round one went to Alex and Thomas with Paul and Issy second and equal on points with Jamie and Angus.

Day 2 dawned with a few suffering mild depression due to the rugby result. Luckily the welcome from Chipstead SC was marvellous and the weather and wind couldn't have been better. The 20p tea helped lift the sailors and we got going with another four races.

Nigel Wakefield and Emily Saunderson had arrived for the day but it was Paul and new crew James Rudd-Jones who got off to a flying start with two early wins. In the afternoon Fred Mainwaring and Jenn Lamb were showing great speed but it was Nigel and Emily who ran away with the win. The stronger breeze meant Jamie and Angus and Alex and Thomas burnt the calories up with a few close calls.

One more race to finish the series and we could all relax. Right through the fleet there was exciting close racing with Nigel and Emily getting away for the win with Paul and James just getting past Fred and Jenn on the last lap to get second. This meant 1st and 2nd overall was decided on the result of the last race.

Nigel and Emily were victorious once again at Chipstead Open. However it was Paul and James who were victorious for the Inland Championships from Alex and Thomas and then Jamie and Angus.

The next event for the Fireflys is round 8 of the Vines series at West Oxfordshire Sailing Club on the 24th October. WOSC has one of the most active fleets of Fireflys in the country so it should be a great event. That event will be followed by the Spinnaker Club Firefly event and 2015 Vines Finale on the 31st October and 1st November.

Chipstead Open Meeting Results:

Inland Championship Overall Results: