A shout out to the Clubs and Classes
by The National Firefly Association 19 Oct 2025 14:30 BST
Firefly Nationals 2025 at Lyme Regis © Optical Marine
As the UK's sailing season draws to a close, we in the National Firefly fleet reflect on the enormous amount of gratitude we have for all our nations sailing clubs that go above and beyond in arranging our national championships, year in year out!
Around the country clubs and their members step up to support a myriad of competing classes for national events and monthly open meetings - to all we say THANK-YOU from all the dinghy sailing classes!
A case in point for this year was Lyme Regis Sailing Club and their enormous band of volunteers, giving us an enormously fun and memorable event. We need to remind ourselves that the vast majority of sailing clubs have little, if any, employed staff and without an army of volunteers, national championships could become fewer.
The event was run smoothly and professionally with the Lyme Regis SC volunteer team lead by David Beer (Event Chairman), Tony Fastnedge (Vice Chairman & Assistant Race Officer), Sally Holman - (Event Secretary & Race Office), Jane Whittington, Rob Walker & their Beach & Tally Team, Jim Thomas & his Safety Team, Linda Doughty & the bar team, Jason Crocker (Results) Kathy Kelly (Club catering & Tuesday night disco) Loraine Herring (Social Coordinator) David Meehan - providing "Naiad" the Committee Boat, Vic Simpson & Tim O'Toole (lending the mark boats) Brian Palmer & Harvey Cackett (lending their ribs) Ray Cackett (Event Bosun) and last and by no means least Allan Tyler (Race Officer & team).
The race team under the direction of Race officer Allan Tyler set superb courses, with the varying conditions throughout the week, utilising a mix of line and gate starts, trapezoids and triangles. They run the event like clockwork, using the their skills and experience to know when the time was right to either launch or retire for the days racing.
Lyme Regis Sailing Club - to all members, volunteers and the event organisers we salute you!
A massive thanks to our 79th Tideway Firefly National Championships sponsors and supporters, whose support makes our fleet stronger and healthier, Hyde Sails, Selden, Sailboat trailers, Marlow Ropes, South Coast Embroidery, Ovington Boats, Coastwatersports, Craftinsure and finally our wonderful headline sponsor Tideway Wealth Management. Collectively they make our Firefly sailing world better!