Tasar South West Championship 2025 at Porthpean Sailing Club

Saturday competitors arrived to glorious sunshine and a 8 knot breeze from the SE. After enjoying bacon baps and coffee it was time to head out for a 1300 start for the three scheduled races. The race team had set a sausage/triangle course for today, there were no delays and the enthusiastic fleet started promptly.

Race 1 saw the tone being set with the Hawkins and Sayce Teams showing great speed, with the sausage leg being first this was compressing the fleet at the leeward mark making for some incredibly close racing. Matt Johnstone and Amelia Barnett were also showing great speed and were pushing David & Fiona Sayce. Home fleet sailors John & Rachel Hancock were having an excellent race in fourth. Race 1 was won by the Hawkins with the Sayce's second, Matt & Amelia third and the flying Hancocks in fourth.

Race 2 and the wind remained in the same direction although it had dropped a little, the race team reduced the length of the windward leg and we were off. Another clean start and fast out of the blocks were David & Fiona Sayce, really showing their class with the chasing Hawkins unable to challenge their lead, Matt & Amelia were having another great race in third.

The chasing pack was headed by the newly formed team of Steve Mitchell and Ken Fobbester having a great battle with Porthpean's brilliant ex-commodore Paddy with his crew Sarah. Race 2 eventually finished with the top three unchallenged, Paddy Seyler & Sarah Desjoqueres narrowly taking fourth from Steve & Ken.

Tasar South West Championship at Porthpean - photo © Clare Royle

The last race of the day saw the wind increase to 15 knots in the gusts, this was building the sea state and with the rising tide this would have to be a snappy conclusion to the day.

Team Hawkins really stretched their legs this time and pulled out a large lead from the chasing pack led by David & Fiona. The newly formed team of Mitchell & Fobbester were now finding some form enough to hold off the challenge of Johnstone & Barnett who had a very consistent day of sailing. It finished with Jeremy & Suzanne taking the win from team Sayce, with Steve Mitchell & Ken Fobbester finishing their day with a third.

Arriving back at the beach on a high tide and an onshore breeze may have been tricky if not for a well drilled team of volunteers to assist. Everyone arrived home safely, after putting the boats away they all enjoyed some fabulous Cornish hospitality with an amazing barbecue.

Tasar South West Championship at Porthpean - photo © Clare Royle

Sunday dawned raining overcast and misty after a short delay ashore Race 4 got under way. The race team had decided to use the reverse P and in the moderate NE breeze, the fleet set off toward Crinnis beach and as the previous day the usual contenders were out front.

Team Sayce sailed an excellent first leg in the shifty conditions, chased closely by the Hawkins and the rest of the fleet. The Hawkins took the lead by the leeward mark from the Sayces with the rapidly improving team of Mitchell & Fobbester breaking out from the bunch into third. This was how it finished with Matt/Amelia following in fourth just ahead of John Lawton and Neil Spacagna finding some boat speed in their brand new boat.

Race 5 was delayed slightly as the race team shifted the course, due to a big shift to the right. After the first round the usual suspects were at the front of the fleet althogh thios time Matt & Amelia had managed to sail themselves into second splitting the Hawkins and Sayce's, John and Neil were now showing some speed to and lead the bunch with Mitchell & Fobbester.

Tasar South West Championship at Porthpean - photo © Clare Royle

The Hawkins once again extended their lead and comfortably won from Matt & Amelia with David & Fiona third. Mike Voyzey & Dave Saunders had a great race with their best place of the weekend in sixth.

The last race of the day saw the sun return, the wind was now nicely settled, without delay the fleet were away. The top three were revelling in the windy, wavy conditions and sailed comfortably away from the bunch. The rest of the fleet were having some great racing and seven boats could have easily filled the next top spots.

The Hawkins took the last win of the day from the Sayces and the North coast sailors Matt & Amelia, eventually Paddy & Sarah broke away to take fourth spot from the Devon boys John & Neil filling the fifth spot.

Massive thanks to Porthpean sailing club and the wonderful volunteers that we have, the Tasar class now looks forward to their nationals at Whitstable in June and their 50th anniversary world championship at Lake Garda in July.

Tasar South West Championship at Porthpean - photo © Clare Royle

Overall Results:

Tasar South West Championship at Porthpean - photo © Clare Royle