K1 class in the Ovington Inland Championships 2026 at Grafham Water Sailing Club

K1 class in the Ovington Inland Championships at Grafham © Paul Sanwell / OPP

The Ovington Inlands, held on March 21-22, 2026, marked a pivotal start to the K1 season. Serving as the K1 Midland Area Championships, the event also carried weight for both the National and Midland Area series.

Twelve competitors arrived at Grafham Water Sailing Club to find the reservoir shrouded in a thick mist, with visibility barely reaching the end of the pontoons. While the forecast predicted light airs for the weekend, there was a glimmer of hope that Saturday would offer the best window for racing once the fog lifted.

K1 class in the Ovington Inland Championships at Grafham - photo © Paul Sanwell / OPP

Saturday: A Test of Patience

As intermittent zephyrs began to drift across the water, the Race Officer made the optimistic call to send the fleets afloat. In the slow handicap fleet, the K1s started behind the Firefly and were followed in turn by the OKs.

The event welcomed newcomers Jon Gorringe, Tim Holden, and Hugh Willetts to the K1 open circuit. Gorringe made an immediate impact, seizing an early lead from the committee boat end of the line—a position he refused to relinquish. With the breeze occasionally vanishing entirely, the RO shortened the course after just three legs of the trapezoid. Jeremy Shinton worked his way through the pack to claim second, hotly pursued by Andrew Wilson and Ian Duke.

Optimism remained high for Race 2, but the conditions grew even more fickle. Spotting a ripple of wind on the far bank, five competitors gambled on the pin end. Gorringe again led this group, shadowed by Willetts, Richard Sims, Wilson, and Duke.

However, a major wind shift turned the first beat into a single-leg fetch. As the breeze filled in from behind, the fleets compressed; the K1s overran the Fireflys while the OKs caught the entire pack, resulting in a chaotic raft at the windward mark. With the wind continuing to veer, the third leg became a beat back to the committee boat, where the RO wisely shortened course again.

With no sign of a stable breeze returning, the fleet was sent ashore, and racing was eventually abandoned for the day.

K1 class in the Ovington Inland Championships at Grafham - photo © Paul Sanwell / OPP

Sunday: The Vanishing Breeze

Sunday morning teased the sailors with the vision of a gentle breeze, contrary to the grim forecast. The fleets launched with high hopes, but the wind proved a phantom, disappearing almost immediately. Competitors were sent back to the shore, where many made the pragmatic decision to pack up early.

Results and Awards

With two bullets from Saturday's tricky sessions, Jon Gorringe was crowned the K1 Midland Area Champion.

The K1 class also utilises a "Predicted Place" system based on past performance to track improvement. The Handicap (Personal) Prize was awarded to Jeremy Shinton, followed by Doug McCusker and Andrew Wilson.

Our thanks go to Ovington Boats and Grafham Water Sailing Club for their valiant efforts in hosting the event despite the difficult conditions. The K1 class now looks forward to Carsington on April 11-12, preceded by a training day on Friday 10th.

K1 class in the Ovington Inland Championships at Grafham - photo © Paul Sanwell / OPP

Overall Results: