International Canoes at Chichester Harbour Race Week

International Canoes at Chichester Harbour Race Week © Rob O'Neill

A fleet of seven International Canoes competed in the Chichester Harbour Race Week, comprising 25% of the entries in the Fast handicap fleet.

The fleet used their discretion to miss the first race, with the winds gusting up to 30 knots. It was a good call. There were only three finishers, headed by a Contender and lots of breakages.

For the next three days conditions were absolutely idyllic with sunshine and a force 3 to 4 wind. The lightweight colourful ICs were able to take advantage of their upwind speed on the long windward legs against the tide, coupled with a smattering of tight reaches to dominate the results, taking the top three places in race 2, the top five places in race 3 and the top four places in race 4.

International Canoes at Chichester Harbour Race Week - photo © Rob O'Neill

There was close racing and plenty of place changes in the races, but Glen Truswell sailed consistently and made less errors to win 3 races in a row and clinch the regatta in his Morrison 2 design.

It was only in the lighter winds on the last day, where the Canoeists were sitting on the sliding seats, rather than hiking off the end of them did other fast handicap boats get a look in with the race won by a Merlin and a Tasar second, with the first IC sailed by Andy Gordon finishing third. Gareth Caldwell was fourth, the only race he finished in the week, because he suffered mast problems on the earlier days and was unable to sail.

Overall the ICs took 5 of the top 6 places in the fast handicap fleet, only the Merlin Rocket of Judith Massey and Dan Mountifield being able to prevent a clean sweep, finishing 4th overall.

Overall Results: