Challenger English Championship at Grafham Water Sailing Club

Cas Jerromes during the Challenger English Championship at Grafham © Richard Johnson

Graham Hall receives the First Place Replica from Wendy Hopkins during the Challenger English Championship at Grafham © Richard Johnson

20th June 2015 was Midsummer's eve but it was so dull it could have been April. Even so 20 boats had entered and it was previous Champion Judi Figgures' birthday. The fleet was fairly close together at the first mark but, out of the bunch, the Birthday Girl herself with a bright yellow sail was first around the mark, which was a great way to celebrate the occasion and raised a cheer from spectators on the bank. Graham Hall eventually pulled ahead but Judi fought off Mark Fletcher, sailing the newest boat in the fleet, to come a good second. Diana Faulks did everything right to come fourth but Graham's usual nemesis, Val Millward, had a diabolical race, coming sixth.

Race 2 was a battle with wind shifts. Best guesser was again Graham, with Alex Hovden really flying to come second. Val recovered to third but Diana slumped to eighth. Silver sailor, in every sense, Ray Hopkins was well into the Gold fleet with a sixth and the Bronze fleet, although further back, slowed by the extra weight of a Buddy, were having close racing only separated by a couple of points.

After lunch Val made an extra effort, reducing Graham to second by going up the left side of the beat into favourable shifts. Judi was obviously thinking about her party that evening because she scored an unlucky thirteenth but it was just a blip!

That evening the high spot of the weekend was the celebration of twenty years of Grafham Sailability and the "official" birthday of its founder, Judi Figgures. There was bunting, wine and speeches, followed by a magnificent birthday cake and a twenty-one gun salute using Party Poppers. A fitting tribute to a person who has inspired so many sailors and helpers over the last twenty years.

Sunday was livelier, with white caps on the water. Graham won all three races to become English Champion. Val recovered to make it a close thing, except in the day's first race when Mark chose the left side of the beat and nearly took the lead, eventually coming second.

Judi shrugged off the effects of the party to post some good results, as did Christine Spray who found some extra speed in the brisk wind. Diana was still making good starts but suffered with tactics on the beat. Able-bodied Jack Alderdice revelled in the conditions, gaining a third place in Race 5, while Alex Hovden worked miracles steering and pulling the sail in with just one good arm. His third place overall understates his talent.

In Silver, Ray Hopkins and Geoff Nicholls - who only race in their home regatta - were so evenly matched that Ray eventually won on a tie break.

Extra weight in the bronze fleet means that boat speed is at a premium and tacking is difficult but racing was close with four points between first and last. Grafham's Andy Coy took the English title from Oxford's Neil Bartlett.

Overall Results:
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