Please select your home edition
Edition
Zhik 2023 Black Friday LEADERBOARD

Osprey 2022 Welsh and Midland Championships at Tata Steel Sailing Club

by David Downs 11 Apr 2022 13:37 BST 9-10 April 2022
Competitors at the Osprey 2022 Welsh & Midlands Championship © Huw Pearce

The Osprey 2022 Welsh and Midland Championships was held at Tata Steel SC on the 9th and 10th April. After a two year absence due to Covid the Osprey Class were very pleased to return to Tata and experience the club's excellent hospitality.

Eleven boats gathered on the Saturday morning, to be greeted by strong Welsh sunshine and a bitterly cold North Westerly force 3 to 4 blowing across the lake. I think most of the competitors were pleased to be sailing their Ospreys and felt for the Race Committee and Safety Boat crews who must have been frozen. The first race was started in a Force 3 to 4 with local hero DJ Edwards sailing with Vyv Townend in Vyv's Championship winning boat showing the way to do it and leading throughout. Dave Griffiths & Maurice Clark in 1365 (using 1367 sails) their newly acquired Mark V were in hot pursuit and showing that they will be a force to be reckoned with. Local team Mike and Pam Murray finished in a very impressive third place showing that you don't necessarily need a big man on the wire.

After an excellent lunch the wind had got up somewhat for race 2. DJ & Vyv again took an early lead with Oscar Chess & Charlie and Ros & David Downs in 2nd and 3rd. An unfortunate capsize on the second beat for team Downs and failure of the shroud adjusters on Oscar's boat allowed Dave & Maurice through into second with Emma Stevenson and Pete Lloyd coming third.

After two long races in challenging conditions this early in the season there were some tired bodies in the boat park, but it was amazing how the carvery at the Twelve Knights and copious quantities of beer revived everyone for an early start on Sunday.

The sun was still shining but the wind, now coming from the South East still had a bite to it. Three shorter races taking in the whole of the area of the lake were held back to back in slightly less wind than Saturday but with significant gusts and shifts. DJ & Vyv continued to be the masters of the conditions while behind them Emma & Pete and Oscar & Charlie were the main contenders. Dave Griffiths with a house full of paying guests to serve breakfast to missed race 3 but returned to post a 3rd in race 4. Emma & Pete having been OCS and returning then had a spectacular charge through the fleet to finish fourth. DJ & Vyv opted to sit out the last race leaving Emma & Pete to take a well deserved win with Oscar & Charlie in second place.

Once again the Osprey fleet demonstrated its versatility with competing boats aging between 47 years and 5 years, a good range of ages amongst the crews, two lady helms and one lady crew.

The Osprey Class would like to thank Tata Steel SC for putting on this event and we look forward to returning in 2023.

Overall Results:

PosSail NoBoat NameHelmCrewClubR1R2R3R4R5Pts
11353 David J EdwardsVyv TownendTATA Steel SC1111(DNC)4
21362OMGEmma StevensonPeter LloydWeymouth SC(DNC)324110
31365Carpe DiemDave GriffithsMaurice ClarkeTenby SC22(DNC)3310
41348Jammy DodgerOscar ChessDavid CharlesTATA Steel SC5(DNC)32212
51312Bakers DozenMike MurrayPam MurrayTATA Steeel Sc344‑6516
61114Just PogoRos DownsDavid DownsTATA Steel SC‑7657422
71292Light 'n BitterPaul HeatherJonathan OsgoodStewartby Water SC65‑75622
81225The Pink PantherPaul BambridgeCarwyn OwneTATA Steel SC47(RET)DNC730
91316JaneKieth McDonaldAndy BrittainSmall Heath YC8(DNC)68RET34
101336Cariad Y MorRhys JonesAndrew JenkinsTATA Steel SC10(DNC)RET9839
111344RhiannonMike WilliamsMartin TossellTATA Steel SC9(DNC)DNCDNCDNC45

Related Articles

Blithfield Barrel week 1
There wasn't much sun... it didn't really matter as there was plenty of wind! There wasn't much sun to greet the sailors on the damp Sunday morning of the first chapter in the iconic Blithfield Barrel racing series. That didn't really matter as there was plenty of wind! Posted on 25 Nov
Hyde Sails November Discounts!
Get ready for the 2024 season, buy now to get the best prices Get ready for the 2024 season, buy now to get the best prices on our sails, cover and accessories. Discount period ending 30th November! Posted on 18 Nov
A busy and successful Autumn for Hyde Sails
Winning the Flying Fifteen Nationals, the Squib Inlands and runner-up in the Osprey Nationals We chatted with Ben McGrane to find out about the busy schedule he and Hyde Sails had in September in a variety of classes, including the Flying Fifteen Nationals, the 70th Anniversary Osprey Nationals, and the Squib UK Inlands. Posted on 2 Nov
Osprey Final Fling 2023 at Blithfield
A long history of hosting successful Osprey events at the club Blithfield Sailing Club has a long history of hosting successful Osprey Open Meetings and so it continued in 2023 with the 70th Anniversary "Osprey Final Fling" over the weekend of 14th/15th October 2023. Posted on 16 Oct
Osprey Class Round The Isle of Wight Race
Celebrating the 70th anniversary of the 1953 dinghy race around the island Seventy years ago, in 1953, the Cowes Corinthian Yacht Club held a race for centreboard dinghies around the Isle of Wight to commemorate the Coronation of the Queen. It was quite a controversial event at the time. Posted on 27 Sep
Osprey Final Fling at Blithfield Preview
A great way to close the Osprey year The final Osprey event of 2023 will be held on what many call the best racing water in the Midlands. With time for tuning and practice on the Friday afternoon, supported by great food and drink, it's a great way to close the Osprey year. Posted on 26 Sep
Something so right
Dougal Henshall looks at what makes for a good championships attendance Jack Knights coldly set out that the golden age of dinghy racing had already had its day, and by the mid-1970s he felt that that all the signs were that activity levels had peaked. He claimed to see the first signs of a downward trend. Posted on 13 Sep
Osprey Nationals 2023 at Hayling Island Overall
The 49 boats finished in glorious sunshine and good breeze The 2023 Osprey Class National Championship finished in glorious sunshine and good breeze. Thank you Hayling Island Sailing Club for arranging the weather for the 4 day Championship, at which 49 boats celebrated the 70th year of Osprey sailing. Posted on 8 Sep
Osprey Nationals 2023 at Hayling Island Day 1
A fleet of 49 boats gathered in the sunshine A fleet of 49 boats gathered to participate in 2023 Osprey National Championship in the class 70th Anniversary year at Hayling Island Sailing Club. Posted on 3 Sep
Osprey Nationals 2023 Runners & Riders
Fifty boats are headed to Hayling Island The Osprey Class Nationals, in the 70th Anniversary year of the Osprey Class, are being hosted by Hayling Island Sailing Club from 2nd to 5th September 2023. Fifty boats are headed to the venue from all over the UK for the 8 scheduled races. Posted on 1 Sep