Please select your home edition
Edition
Leaderboard FD July August September 2023

H2 Inland Championships at Grafham Water Sailing Club

by Dave Barker 18 May 20:09 BST 17-18 May 2025
H2 Inland Championships at Grafham © Dave Barker

A select group of H2 sailors arrived at Grafham Water on Sat 17th May for their Inland champs (shared with D-Zeros and RS600s). They soon discovered that shorts were a poor choice. The south coast sailors already had nosebleeds from travelling so far North, and the grey sky and Northerly wind meant most headed straight inside for coffee and bacon sarnies.

The fun started early when Chris (Hikers) Brown sporting his daughter's headband (look out for leg warmers next time) pulled out his brand new Sandiline hikers and proceeded to battle into them back to front. Knee pads are not normally needed in an H2, but he must have been planning a new technique.

In Race 1 we all recognised that the left side would probably pay, so most proceeded to head right, except Ian (Wily Fox) Dawson who showed how it should be done. The only expletives heard from this cultured fleet came from Rich (Prodder) Le Mare who couldn't cope with the extreme acceleration in the building F2 breeze and nearly feel out the back. Stephen (Hugo Boss) Oliver (or is it Hughie Boss?) was still suffering from Asian Bird Flu and managed to block his bailers with last night carrots!

Frustrated Prodder nipped at Foxy's heels, but couldn't make it past and Steve (Shrimper) Hendon showed good form for third. Looking back the headband kept closing up (once Hikers had put his suit on the right way round). The Scottish mafia Michael (Alex) Alexander and Gavin (Albacore) Fleming were in the pack with Hugo and newby Adrian (Pevensey) Peckham close behind.

Races 2 and 3 were similar in the shifty N wind with Dave (Jackson Pollock) Barker nailing Race 2 and Foxy resuming service taking Race 3. Day 1 finished with Foxy leading followed by Jackson and Prodder second and third on equal points with Hikers and Alex a couple of points adrift. All to play for.

Warm sunshine enabled a few sherberts in the dinghy park (thanks Prodder) and the Wheatsheaf did us proud for dinner.

A similar light N wind on Sun was forecast to drop, so the great race team got us off on time. This time the left didn't initially pay and Albacore and Jackson spotted the opportunity and rounded first but as the race progressed Jackson managed to skillfully avoid every bit of pressure and dropped from a solid second to seventh (Pollocks!!).

Foxy showed the way again, Alex kept out of trouble to gain second and Albacore took a solid third. Hugo was feeling and sailing better and after some coaching Pevensey pulled a bit less kicker on and stayed with the pack. Prodder's new light wind performance continued to keep him in the top of the fleet.

Race 5 was Shrimper's opportunity to shine. He carefully planned a path up the beat (Yeah right!) and rounded miles ahead, holding it all the way. Alex sailed well for 2nd and Jackson had a great tussle to overtake Foxy and actually keep him behind.

In Race 6 a second hoot sent Foxy back through the startline and we all thought 'Ha - that's the last we'll see of him !'

Hikers sailed a port flyer and disappeared off the horizon (no Headband and Hiker's on the right way round) followed by Jackson with Prodder 1/2 a leg behind. Someone then turned the wind off on the run, then switched it on from behind so most of the fleet caught and passed the leaders (Pollocks!!).

Guess who took the result - you got it... Foxy Dawson. Great second place from Hugo with Prodder in third.

So Ian (Wily Fox) Dawson takes the H2 Inlands, Michael (Alex) Alexander takes second with Rich (Prodder) Le Mare on equal points for third.

Thanks to Grafham for a super event, and to the H2 attendees for great racing and company. Next event Chichester in two weeks time.

Overall Results:

PosSail NoHelmClubR1R2R3R4R5R6Pts
1st152Ian DawsonWarsash SC1‑511418
2nd184Michael AlexanderRutland SC‑72422717
3rd156Richard Le MarePortchester2‑6246317
4th148Dave BarkerDraycotewater415‑73619
5th166Steve HendonBlithfield SC34‑851821
6th177Chris BrownMill Creek SC5336‑7421
7th135Gavin FlemingHunts SC6‑7635525
8th150Stephen OliverWarsash SC‑88788233
9th182Adrian PeckhamPevensey Bay Sailing Club‑99999945
10th163james haydonBowmoor(DNC)DNCDNCDNCDNCDNC55

Related Articles

All change in the Endeavour Trophy
A dramatic twist in the results after a request for redress was reopened by the Protest Committee The 64th Endeavour Trophy has seen a dramatic twist in the results after a request for redress was reopened by the Protest Committee when they realised that a significant error may have been made at the initial hearing. Posted on 14 Oct
Endeavour Trophy 2025 Event Video
Action from on the water, interviews with the sailors! The Endeavour Trophy is one of the most coveted in UK sailing, gathering National Champions for each dinghy class to battle it out at the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club at Burnham-on-Crouch over an October weekend. Posted on 6 Oct
505 champs win Endeavour Trophy 2025
UK's Champion of Champions event sees gusts over 30 knots at Burnham-on-Crouch Big winds reaching over 30kts tested the 30 dinghy champions to the limit on Sunday and, with just four races to count with no discard, it was always going to be an interesting outcome. Posted on 6 Oct
Big winds stop play at Endeavour Trophy
Champion of champions' big event blasted by 50kt + winds It was supposed to be the opening day of racing for the Endeavour Trophy today, but with relentless strong winds reaching over 50kts in the gusts, Edwin Buckley and his team had no option other than postpone the racing until tomorrow. Posted on 4 Oct
64th Endeavour Trophy Welcomes New Melges 15
New chapter for dinghy champion of champions event at Burnham-on-Crouch Despite the threat of Storm Amy disrupting proceedings at the 64th Endeavour Trophy (3-5 October), a total of 30 national champions gathered at the Royal Corinthian YC, Burnham-on-Crouch this morning for the opening day's training session. Posted on 3 Oct
Walton & Frinton Hadron H2 Open
Sunshine, mild temperatures and fresh winds make for ideal sailing conditions The penultimate open meeting of the Hadron H2 year was hosted by the Walton and Frinton Yacht Club at the weekend in ideal sailing conditions- sunshine, mild temperatures and fresh winds. Posted on 8 Sep
Hadron H2 and D-Zeros at Fed Week
Chichester Harbour witnesses another battle over a small ceramic plate Ten D-Zeros and four Hadrons lined up on the beach for the first day of CHRW - known to many as Fed Week - one of the biggest and best, in my opinion, dinghy regattas on the UK's South Coast. Posted on 20 Aug
Harken Hadron H2 Nationals overall
A brisk south-westerly breeze and brilliant sunshine on the third day The three races of day 3 of the H2 nationals was sailed in a brisk 12-16 knot south-westerly breeze and brilliant sunshine. Posted on 7 Jul
Harken Hadron H2 Nationals day 2
With the wind up, two races were held in Portland Harbour The forecast for day 2 of the Harken H2 Championships promised strong south-westerly winds so the race team prudently decided to hold this day's racing in Portland Harbour and to run two races instead of the scheduled three. Posted on 6 Jul
Harken Hadron H2 Nationals day 1
A 12-14 knot south-westerly breeze at WPNSA provided a thrilling start to the event A 12-14 knot south-westerly breeze at WPNSA provided the competitors a thrilling start to the 2025 Hadron H2 national championships on Friday, 4th July. Posted on 5 Jul