Squib Last Chance Regatta at Royal Corinthian Yacht Club, Burnham
by Phil Shanahan 18 Oct 2016 08:31 BST
Nic Tolhurst and Mel Titmus win the Squib Last Chance Regatta at Burnham © Roger Mant
The Squib Last Chance Regatta is traditionally held two weeks after the Inland Championships. The event was conceived with the aim of encouraging the travellers to re-launch for the last few weeks of the Autumn Series. The Regatta is now a well established event in the Burnham Squib Fleet Calendar.
The Regatta was well supported by local boats. Twelve Squibs set out for the river Roach, where the previous weekend the UK National Champions had gathered for the Endeavour Champion of Champions Event. This time the Squibs had a series of four windward-leeward races. Wind was Southerly with a strong ebb tide.
The first start was scheduled for a 12:00 warning signal and the Race Officer duly went into sequence after a few minutes delay. The first start was abandoned with two minutes to go following a 30 degree wind shift. The windward mark was moved from mid river to the Foulness shore – with a foul tide, surely that was the side to take? After a short delay the first race was started.
Most of the fleet short tacked up the Foulness shore with plenty of close racing but no incidents. Mick King, Baldrick, sailing in his first Squib event took the Wallasea shore and came out at the windward mark amongst the leaders. More boats took to the Wallasea shore in the second lap including the race leader Nic Tolhurst, By the Lee, who won the first race.
The second race was soon underway. This time more boats took to the Wallasea shore including Robert Coyle Humphrey who took the honours. It was the third race before all the fleet were now sailing on the preferred side of the river including Malcolm Hutchings' Lady Penelope who crossed the finishing line in first place.
Robert Coyle won the fourth race but it was Nic Tolhurst with a consistent set of results who took the overall win with 7 points – but only just. Second place through to fifth all had the same overall score of 8 points with positions decided on countback.
Silver Fleet was won by Andy Woodhill Atlanta with Baldrick the 'pathfinder' taking second place in the Silver Fleet.