Welsh Open Challenger Championship 2025 at Llyn Brenig Sailing Club

Welsh Challenger Championship at Llyn Brenig © Marion Edwards

Six Challengers travelled to Llyn Brenig for the Welsh Open Challenger Championship. It was forecast to be a very hot, light wind event. The club's two Challengers were to be loaned to two visiting sailors giving a fleet of eight. It would be the biggest Challenger event at Llyn Brenig for well over a decade. Unfortunately it was not to be.

Friday afternoon saw a flurry of activity as Challengers were taken off their road trailers and prepared for racing. Ray Andrews (226) and Steve Laycock (3) took advantage of the late afternoon breeze to go for a sail. This was particularly important for Ray as he was sailing the local boat "The David Prentice".

It may have been Alan Gillman's first visit to Llyn Brenig but it was the second for his Challenger (212) which raced at the championship in the early 2000s. So Alan's boat was greeted as an old friend by some of the long standing members of the fleet!

The sailors then dispersed for the evening. Unfortunately for one sailor, their event ended at this point as on reaching their accommodation they fell out of their wheelchair and were taken to hospital in Wrexham where they remained for the weekend.

On Saturday morning the sun shone and continued to shine all day and the temperature soared. At the briefing sailors were told that should they run out of water more was available on the safety and committee boats.

A trapezoidal course was set and the fleet was launched into a light and variable wind for two back to back races with a maximum of three laps (though in both cases only two were achieved).

Welsh Challenger Championship at Llyn Brenig - photo © Marion Edwards

During Race 1 the shore crew were distracted by the need to retrieve Dave Gascoigne. Dave had come to help Lynn Steward (300) but had been offered the opportunity to sail the second club Challenger. Unfortunately, no-one was aware that hidden under the hull was a rather large hole and Dave soon returned, escorted by the safety boat, with the stern deck awash. This was not something that could be fixed with gaffer tape!

Out on the race course it was a one-two for Val Millward (312) and Duncan Greenhalgh (280) (setting the tone for weekend) with Alan coming third.

At the start of Race 2 the wind shifted a little and Lynn thought was going to hit the pin. She tacked off and went hard right. This paid off and she rounded the windward mark in third behind Duncan and Val.

Alan missed the start line entirely but Steve alerted him to the error of his ways and he went back. He compounded his problems by hitting the windward mark and after doing his penalty turn he was not in a good place!

On the final reach the wind died. Duncan was able to claw his way to the finish to take the win. Inevitably the wind began to fill in from behind allowing Lynn to close the substantial gap to Val and Steve and Alan began to catch Lynn. Val managed to hang on to second, but Lynn was not so lucky and was overtaken by Steve.

Welsh Challenger Championship at Llyn Brenig - photo © Marion Edwards

The fleet slowly returned for lunch. Over lunch Lynn and Dave decided to form a "Silver fleet syndicate" entry (where two sailors share a boat) so Dave set off for the two afternoon races in 300.

The race officer announced the same course for the afternoon. The wind had other ideas and neatly switched through 180 degrees, necessitating a course change. This led to some confusion in Race 3 resulting in an uncharacteristic third for Val and a welcome second for Alan. Duncan took the win.

Normal service was resumed in Race 4 and Val took the win with Duncan second. After struggling a little in Race 3 Dave (an Enterprise sailor) got to grips with the Challenger and came third.

After four races Val led Duncan by virtue of winning the last race. Alan was third (and first in the silver fleet), one point ahead of Steve. With three races scheduled for Sunday, everything could change.

Everyone, including the race officer, met at the pub for dinner. Trying to get a clear understanding of the day's events in the pub is always a lost cause. The only thing everyone agreed on was the capricious nature of the wind (but that goes without saying for Llyn Brenig).

Sunday was another sunny morning. There was definitely a bit more wind. The pessimists were expecting it to die before racing began but it did not. The club were holding their Open Summer Regatta and there was a definite buzz around the club.

The fleet was launched for three, three lap races round a triangular course.

Welsh Challenger Championship at Llyn Brenig - photo © Marion Edwards

The first sound signal of Race 5 showed that the race officer has committed a major faux pas and the class flag was flying upside down! Other race officers have made the same mistake and the fleet forgave him.

While Duncan initially led up the beat, Val soon grabbed the lead. They were followed by Alan, Lynn and Steve. Unfortunately on the approach to the windward mark there was a coming together between Lynn and Steve and a rather shaken Lynn decided to retire. Dave was persuaded to replace Lynn and sail the last two races.

Back on the race course the remaining sailors were having problems with their numeracy skills (the race officers view) and they headed off on a fourth lap (saying later they hadn't heard a finishing signal). The safety boat was despatched to restore order. It was another Val and Duncan one-two.

Race 6 was uneventful with Val, who truly had the bit between her teeth, taking another win with Duncan second and Dave third. At this point Duncan did his sums and realised that it was impossible to beat Val so, faced with a long journey home, he returned to shore.

Val romped away to take Race 7 hotly pursued, but not seriously threatened by Dave. So Val is the 2025 Welsh Challenger champion and Duncan was second. Alan was third overall and first in silver. Second in silver was the WISH SC syndicate boat of Lynn and Dave, with Steve coming third.

The David Prentice Memorial Trophy goes to the sailor, judged by the other sailors, to have contributed most to the championship. This went to Dave for enabling Lynn to take part in the event and for making himself useful throughout.

Thank you to Llyn Brenig SC, in particular to the Race Officer, Alex Watson, who organised the event, and to the volunteers from the club, who manned the safety boats and helped onshore.

Welsh Challenger Championship at Llyn Brenig - photo © Marion Edwards

Overall Results: