Please select your home edition
Edition
Ocean Safety 2023 - New Identity - LEADERBOARD

Squib Gold Cup 2022 at the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club, Burnham

by Nigel Grogan 5 May 2022 15:27 BST 30 April - 1 May 2022

With an impressive entry list of 33 including visitors from as far afield as the Isle of Wight and Portsmouth, the 2022 Gold Cup promised to be a vintage event at the RCYC Burnham on Crouch. Club members effected a slick launching procedure seeing the fleet ready to go on Saturday morning with eight races scheduled.

A windless River Crouch set the tone for the racing with a long postponement which was accompanied by equally lengthy hangovers for most of the participants after the excesses of class stalwart, Malcolm Hutchings 60th birthday the night before.

Race officer Edwin Buckley and his slick team, patiently waited for a southerly sea breeze of around 5 knots to fill in from the south enabling the fleet to race windward leeward courses in bright sunshine in the River Roach. With the tide ebbing ever more strongly short tacking up the bank was the key skill....matched by an accurately calibrated echo sounder. Many boats overdid it at some point and struggled to escape the notorious Crouch mud, Flynn Davies and his crew James Kelly in Naruphar narrowly missing out on spending the night in the trench they dug on the western shore.

Those that chose the eastern bank were dumped to the rear of the fleet with Jack and Nigel Grogan, the current Cup Holders rounding the first mark last by miles, with other local experts such as Nemesis, Ray and Petru, Humphrey, Robert and Mark, and What's the Story, Nick and Ross creeping round at the back. Eight boats managed to be timed out or retired.

At the front end of the fleet however, visitors David Pinner and Jono Baker in Discord from Haven Ports got it right and had an impressive win. Previous Nationals winners Stu Rix and Steve Warren Smith were second from Jono Brown and Chris Agar in the spectacularly renovated all black Blood Eagle.

Race two was complicated by a U flag start which denied the fleet the option of dipping the line from the course side, which with the spring ebb now running at full speed meant many boats were timed out by not crossing the line within five minutes of the gun. Most boats had now worked out that right was the only way to go, but getting the lay-line call for the windward mark was a big challenge with many boats having to tack mid stream to make the mark and some having to do it gain for the spreader mark. David Lloyd and Mark Stones in Seven won by a big margin, threatening to lap the tail-enders despite being visitors. Behind them was another beautifully restored old Squib Rojo, the three times championship winning Squib was sailed expertly by visitor to the class, Paul Fiske with Richard Tucker, son of original owner and class legend John, crewing. Another visiting team and former Musto Skiff World Champion, Dan Henderson and wife Hattie were third.

Woody was chartered by the youngest competitors of the fleet of the Gold Cup (Niamh Davies and Greg Kelly) which was great to see, but unfortunately there was a sudden loud bang across the river and soon to find out in the bar, that their battery had exploded!

In the bar the class proceeded to drink the club out of Spiced Rum, Doombar and weirdly, Bailey's while overnight leader David Lloyd allegedly wrote his victory speech.

Sunday dawned grey and windless with another postponement until a decent south westerly filled in allowing a spectacular race right in front of the town. After one recall, Micky Wright snd Alex Porteous in Spoof won from Blood Eagle and Aquabat. Sadly the wind then evaporated and racing was abandoned.

Overall it left Jono and Chris as well deserved winners, Micky and Alex second and Dan and Hattie beating David and Scarlett to third place on a tie break.

Nigel and Jack were Silver Fleet winners.

The prize-giving dinner followed by more drinking and a band was a raucous affair ably presided over by Commodore Phil Aspinall and Class Captain and organiser of such a great event, Dan Wastnage.

We were also entertained by stalwart Malcy Hutchings in his red stilettos (see picture).

The East Coast Championships in June promises to be even more fun, with even more entries at our wonderful club.

The next event is the CYC Trophy, Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 May at our club. Committee boat start eight race series. Dave Hyde is running the event as he was a CYC member.

It's also Dave Hyde's birthday and he'll be organising a social or two... so watch this space!

Overall Results:

PosSail NoBoat NameHelmCrewClubR1R2R3Pts
1st142Blood EagleJono BrownChris AgarRCYC39214
2nd811SpoofMicky WrightAlex PorteousRCYC95115
3rd63MaverickDaniel HendersonHattie HendersonP'mth SC83718
4th846SophieDavid HydeScarlett AndersonRCYC57618
5th32RojoPaul FiskRichard Tucker 621523
6th13AquabatStu RixSteve Warren‑SmithRVYC2TLE324
7th91DiscordDavid PinnerJono BakerHPYC1151026
8th14FirecrackerDan WastnageCharlie MatthewsRCYC761629
9th779What's The StoryNic TolhurstRoss CorbettRCYC1710835
10th111SevenDavid LloydMark StonesP'mth SC1012536
11th52Bacchante VIIJoe HenryRoly WilsonP'mth SC4RET441
12th819Lady PenelopeMalcolm HutchingsAndrew CarlyRCYC12171241
13th92HeartbeatKeith GilmourTrevor BawdenRCYC13TLE1143
14th595OutlawIan ScottIona MartinRCYC11122144
15th33IncendioGeorgia GriceMark BriggsP'mth SC14TLE1346
16th221Knock KnockJack GroganNigel GroganRCYC23TLE547
17th862BrutusSimon GriffinPortia HutchingsRCYC1682347
18th760SurpriseDuncan GrindleyChris JonesRCYCTLE41949
19th868By The LeeCarl AndersonJason PhelpsRCYC18131849
20th823HumphreyRobert CoyleMarc RawinskyRCYC20141751
21st20BuccaneerEmma PrimeSam PrimeRVYC24TLE1457
22nd806NemesisRay ApthorpPetru BalauRCYC21182463
23rd72Guy FawkesPhil AspinallDave SheppardRCYC15TLE3064
24th36Artemis2Philip RustRichard HamB'sea SC22162664
25th691EmilyMark FlynnBrett HagueRCYCTLETLE2772
26th709ElectraDavid MellardSue HardyRCYCTLETLE2873
27th129FirestarterChris RustOllie NewmanP'mth SC19OCS2274
28th618NenupharFlynn DaviesJames KellyBSC/IOMYCRETOCS975
29th83EasyIan BrandPatricia BrandRCYCDSQ11OCS77
30th31FrodoMike BradleyJools BriggsRCYCRETTLE3183
31st757SunshineNick MiltonGavin KempRCYCRETRET2086
32nd720WoodyNiamh Davies RCYCTLEOCS2988
33rd682OutcastRoger SmithCharles TuckerRCYCDNCDNCDNC102

Related Articles

Squib Nationals at Torbay overall
The final race decider for the title Similar conditions prevailed for the final race. The overall positions going into the race were very close with RicOShea, Tom Jeffcote crewed by Mark Hogan and Helmut Schoing, Nigel Grogan crewed by Ben McGrane separated by only 0.2 of a point. Posted on 27 Jun
Squib Nationals at Torbay Day 4
Just 0.2 of a point separates the leaders going into the final day A blustery offshore wind greeted the 46 Squibs assembled in Torquay for their National Championship. Race officer Bill Butcher and his team started on time, and with no delays Race 6 commenced under the now familiar U Flag penalty. Posted on 27 Jun
Squib Nationals at Torbay Day 3
A perfect, if difficult, day's sailing on the now tranquil waters of Torbay The Race Team from Royal Torbay under the excellent leadership of Bill Butcher, PRO, again provided a perfect, if difficult, day's sailing on the now tranquil waters of Torbay. Light winds, initially from the East, became stronger and veered to the South. Posted on 26 Jun
Squib Nationals at Torbay Day 2
Variable conditions lead to many place changes Under the able hand of Torbay PRO Bill Butcher, racing continued in conditions not dissimilar to Monday. A bit more wind at times but still variable in strength and direction making starting and choosing a side difficult. Posted on 25 Jun
Squib Nationals at Torbay Day 1
The 46-strong fleet get the first race away on the fourth attempt The 46 Squibs launched on Sunday took part in a Practice Race and the first Points Race on Monday in a variable westerly wind. Conditions were difficult with up to 40 degree windshifts and variation in strength from 6 to 16 knots. Posted on 24 Jun
Quality fleet of 46 set for Squib Nationals
Scrutineering, weighing and launching today at Torquay A high quality fleet of 46 Squibs are gathering in Torquay to compete in the 2025 Nationals. Entries have been received from all parts of the UK and Ireland including Kinsale, Dundee, Edinburgh, Abersoch, East Coast clubs, Weymouth and the Isle of Wight. Posted on 22 Jun
Squibs at the Royal Norfolk & Suffolk June Regatta
A wonderful summer's day greeted the fleet A wonderful summer's day greeted the nine Squibs at RN&SYC (the UK's most Easterly Yacht Club) for the annual June Regatta weekend. The wind was forecast to pick up to 30 knots during the afternoon, so two races were planned for the morning, back to back. Posted on 16 Jun
Squib National Championship in a fortnight
Torbay last saw the Grogans win together - now they are up against each other There is now a little over a fortnight to go until the Squib Class returns to the Royal Torbay Yacht Club for the National Championships on the 22nd of June. Posted on 8 Jun
Save the Date - Cowes Classics Regatta 2026
The dates now confirmed after a highly successful 2025 event As the curtain comes down on what has been a remarkable Cowes Classics Week 2025, thoughts at the Royal London Yacht Club and the Royal Thames Yacht Club turn towards the hosting of Cowes Classics Regatta 2026 with the dates now confirmed. Posted on 5 Jun
Cowes Classics Regatta 2025 overall
Building breeze and sea state create a spectacular conclusion Ahead of an oncoming, breeze-filled front from the west, the superb race management teams, under the watchful eye of Principal Race Officer Tim Hancock, elected to send all the fleets out early on the concluding day of Cowes Classics Regatta 2025. Posted on 1 Jun