Catapult National Championship 2025 at Royal Yorkshire Yacht Club

John Terry (being the camera) approaches the leeward mark - Catapult National Championship at Bridlington © John Terry

Gareth Ede is the new Catapult National champion having dominated the event with five wins out of five. His name now appears a record ten times on the National Trophy out of the 41 years it has been awarded.

The Royal Yorkshire Yacht Club at Bridlington on the Yorkshire coast provided the venue for a great event ably run over the August Bank Holiday weekend by Race Officer and RYYC Commodore Joe Franks.

Race 1

After a postponement to allow the wind to fill in, the fleet launched into a Force 2 breeze and a lumpy sea, which made good upwind technique crucial to maintain speed. The course was rectangular with long beats and runs and shorter reaches. In the first race, run over two laps, Gareth was in the front tier at the start and soon began to pull away upwind followed by John Terry and Stuart Ede.

George Evans demonstrated his ability to point high and foot faster in the conditions by overhauling Stuart and moving into third place by the windward mark. John kept Gareth in his sights all the way round and finished just one minute behind with George coming in another minute back.

George's performance was good enough to win the race on personal handicap ahead of John in second.

Race 2

The second race was almost a rerun of the first, but this time Gareth's winning margin was one and a half minutes over John, and George, who was being pushed by Stuart downwind, was another two and a half minutes back. But none of the top four were far enough ahead to avoid being beaten by Chris Upton on personal handicap with Syd Gage taking the second slot.

Race 3

The breeze had died away overnight and the morning's scheduled race was postponed to the afternoon. Eventually the wind increased to an onshore Force 2 to 3, and despite the earlier calm the sailors found they still had to contend with somewhat lumpy wave conditions. Three back-to back-races were held over a square course to get back on schedule.

Again Gareth led the charge off the start line of Race 3, followed closely by Stuart. However, the increased pressure suited George who moved into second place ahead of Stuart at the windward mark with Syd in fourth position.

Meanwhile John, who had had a slow start was playing catch-up. By the first wing mark he was hard on Syd's heels and got past him on the run. Stuart closed the gap on George by surfing the waves on the run, and these two were vying with one another on the bottom reach with John close behind. George rounded the leeward mark in front, while John was able to get past Stuart by holding him out to the right of the gate before he could tack.

By working the waves and tide on the final run John was able to catch up with George, but a mishap with his telescopic tiller extension at the mark meant he missed his chance to overtake, finishing just 10 seconds behind George. Meanwhile Gareth had taken first place nearly four minutes ahead.

The surprise winner on personal handicap was Damien Cooney who had been finished a lap early.

Race 4

Gareth didn't have it all his own way in Race 4, because George was pressing hard upwind, and crossing tacks with him. John in third position decided on a different tactic for the second beat. Everyone had been banging the left hand corner of the beat hoping to benefit from the incoming cross tide, whereas John tried going right. However, it didn't work, and he had to be satisfied with third place a minute and a half behind George who was in turn a minute behind Gareth.

George's time was enough to earn him first place on personal handicap with Stuart taking second.

John Terry (being the camera) in race 4 - Catapult National Championship at Bridlington - photo © John Terry

Race 5

Stuart and Gareth started neck and neck, and Stuart was still in touch as they reached the lay line. Behind them George had found a higher gear and creamed past John to be in a commanding position behind Stuart on a track a few boat lengths to windward.

Stuart had not realised how much George had caught up and was taken by surprise when he tacked for the windward mark. Stuart might have just made it across in front of George, but fatally he hesitated, slowed and caused George to duck his stern, so he had to take a penalty turn that put him out of contention. Thereafter the race became a battle between George and John, with George taking second place just 20 seconds ahead of John.

George was a minute behind Gareth, which was close enough to earn him his third win on personal handicap with Syd taking another second place.

That race marked the end of the championship, because next day several competitors among the predominantly septuagenarian sailors had to drop out through ill-health or fatigue, which led the remainder to decide not to sail the final race.

So Gareth Ede won the National Trophy by a convincing margin, wresting it from last year's champion John Terry. The results also count towards the Jon Montgomery Travellers Trophy, where Gareth is well out in front having won all but one of the season's 26 races, so he retains the Yellow and Blue Pennants as overall leader and event winner.

Gareth Ede tops the podium with George Evans ssecond, John Terry third and Stuart Ede fourth - Catapult National Championship at Bridlington - photo © Margaret Evans

Overall Results:

Alastair Forrest Personal Handicap Series so far:

George Evans's win at Bridlington on personal handicap consolidates his lead in the Alastair Forrest Series, so he will be flying both the Magenta and Lilac Pennants at his next event.