Worshipful Company of Shipwrights English Open Challenger Championships at Oxford Sailability

Worshipful Company of Shipwrights English Open Challenger Championships © Alyx Bedwell

Thirteen Challenger sailors, and many volunteers, gathered at Farmoor Reservoir for the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights English Open Challenger Championship which took place during the weekend 16-17 May. The event was organised by Oxford Sailability with support from Oxford Sail Training Trust.

There were six local sailors and seven visiting sailors. There should have been more visiting sailors but two were reluctantly forced to drop out. Caz Jeromes from Rutland Sailability was grateful to Oxford Sailability for the loan of 117. It was good to see a four boat Bronze fleet - Bronze fleet sailors are unable to sail solo so have a "buddy" onboard to provide whatever assistance is needed.

Worshipful Company of Shipwrights English Open Challenger Championships - photo © Alyx Bedwell

Over the weekend there were a number of VIP visitors:

• James Wilkes was present (and out on a RIB) representing the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights, who were the main event sponsors.
• Professor Alan Murphy, Head of the Maritime Engineering Group at Southampton University, was also present. He is one of the supervisors of the Challenger Redesign Project currently being undertaken by a number of students on Southampton's Masters degree in Maritime Engineering.
• There was a film crew from the RYA who are working on a promotional video about disabled sailing. A number of sailors were seen giving interviews to camera!
• A small team was present from World Sailing, including Hannah Stodel (para sailing manager) and Thomas Jatsch (international measurer). They were evaluating the Challenger as a potential international class.
• On Sunday Alison Rooke, Deputy Lieutenant for Oxfordshire, came to present the prizes and went out on a RIB to see the racing at close quarters.

Worshipful Company of Shipwrights English Open Challenger Championships - photo © Alyx Bedwell

On Saturday morning the briefing was given by the race officer, George Barker, who clearly, but concisely, explained the course and start sequence for the benefit of some of the less experienced sailors (and also as a reminder for the experienced ones).

The wind was mainly F3 gusting F4 with occasional gusts of F5 (particularly in the afternoon). Unfortunately it was also a leeshore so the shorecrew were not happy.

There was something of a contretemps at the start of Race 1 which severely disadvantaged Diana Faulks (288) and Val Millward (312). Alex Hovden (304) also suffered but managed to extract himself from the confusion. Graham Hall (270) and Nick Bett (261) were the main beneficiaries. Graham led until the final beat of the four lap race. He then managed to find a number of headers which allowed Nick through to take the win. Alex was third. In the Silver fleet, local sailors Lydia Johnston (258) and Nicholas Bishop (272) performed well to come home in fifth and sixth. Oxford Sailability's race training sessions had obviously paid dividends.

Worshipful Company of Shipwrights English Open Challenger Championships - photo © Alyx Bedwell

The sailors then came in for lunch and in some cases to add an extra layer or two of clothing as it was unseasonably cold.

At the start of Race 2 Val decided to keep out of everyone's way and executed a superb port tack flyer. She held the lead until the approach to the third and final windward mark when Graham tacked below the lay line and got lucky. He was lifted to cross ahead of her and rounded the mark first. He held the lead to the finish with Val and Nick following in that order.

Alex suffered rudder problems and although they were resolved on the water he was forced to retire from the race. In the Silver fleet Diana capitalised on Alex's misfortune to take fourth followed by David Craig (263) in fifth. In the Bronze fleet, Jack Alderdice and Marion Edwards (292) achieved a remarkable sixth place.

Race 3 was another three lap race. Val, Nick and Graham all went left while most of the fleet went right. Right was the way to go. The windward mark was very congested but Diana and David were first round. Unfortunately Nick touched the mark and was seen executing a penalty turn which set him back.

Worshipful Company of Shipwrights English Open Challenger Championships - photo © Alyx Bedwell

By the leeward mark the Gold fleet was starting to exert its authority with Val and Alex rounding it first. Graham overtook them both at the start of the second lap but had lost the lead to Val by the windward mark. Val held the lead to the finish with Graham taking second. The Silver fleet was led by Diana in fifth followed by Lydia.

So at the end of Saturday Graham had a two point lead over Val, with Nick just one point further behind. In the Silver fleet Diana had a two point lead over Lydia, with David in third. In Bronze Jack was clear ahead followed by Bill Poupart and Iain Smith (125), with Jamie Wright and Bex Foulsham (231) one point further back. There was everything to play for on Sunday.

Most of the sailors and volunteers remained at the club for the event dinner. Before the meal, Hannah Stodel explained the intention of World Sailing to get sailing back into the paralympics for 2032 and the potential role of the Challenger in achieving that aim.

Sunday still a leeshore, still cold, and the wind still F3 gusting F4 and occasionally F5. Bronze fleet was joined by Neil Bartlett and Murray Palmer (232).

Race 4 was three laps for the leaders. Val was in the lead for much of the race chased by Nick and Graham. Graham fell out of contention when his boom touched the wing mark on lap 2, after his penalty turn, he was playing catchup. Nick managed to pass Val at the final windward mark and held the lead to the finish. Lydia closed the gap on Diana as they finished fifth and sixth respectively.

Worshipful Company of Shipwrights English Open Challenger Championships - photo © Alyx Bedwell

Race 5 another three lap race for the leaders. Graham was early at the start and had to sail down the line. Alex got the best start and was the controlling boat on the first part of the beat. He tacked on a header and Graham followed whereas Nick and Val went further left. At the windward mark it was Nick, Val and Graham. Alex lost out as he overstood the windward mark. The positions remained the same until the approach to the third windward mark when Nick and Val went to the lay line and Graham under tacked and got lucky (again) and was lifted to the mark and held the lead to the finish.

The fleet returned to shore for lunch. For some there was an "exciting" leeshore landing!

The last race was critical. The overall winner could be one of Val, Nick or Graham. Diana led the Silver fleet but only on countback from Lydia. Jack had the Bronze fleet sown up and he decided to sit out the last race.

At the start of Race 6 Val was involved with an incident with a buddied boat which put her on the backfoot from the word go. Graham led up the beat but was initially controlled by Alex to windward of him. Graham's luck held and he was first round the windward mark. On the final lap Nick split tacks with Graham but it didn't help him. Val, sailing with her usual determination, came through to take third but it wasn't enough. Lydia had the courage to do a port tack flyer. It paid off as she was fourth and Diana was sixth.

Worshipful Company of Shipwrights English Open Challenger Championships - photo © Alyx Bedwell

So in the Gold fleet it was a one, two, three for Graham, Nick and Val respectively. Lydia's performance in the last race gave her victory in the Silver fleet. Diana was second and Nicholas in third. Jack was the clear winner in the Bronze fleet. Jamie (and Bex) were second and Bill (and Iain) third.

At the prize-giving, Rose Todd, chair of Oxford Sailability, thanked everyone who contributed to the success of the event, particularly the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights for their financial support, the Regatta Organising Committee (led by David Newton), all the volunteers from Oxford Sailability and Oxford Sail Training Trust and to Alyx Bedwell (photography).

The prizes were then presented by Alison Rooke. David Craig received the Pam Gee Endeavour Trophy which is awarded to the Oxford Sailability sailor who has gone "above and beyond". Lydia was awarded the Oxford Sailability Cup which goes to the highest placed Oxford Sailability sailor. Graham received the Shipwrights Trophy as first overall. On receiving his prize, Jack made a short, but moving speech, of what it meant to be back on the water in the Challenger.

After the prize-giving there was tea and excellent cakes for everyone, and so ended a very successful championship - thank you Oxford Sailability.

Trophies awarded:

• The Shipwrights Trophy (1st overall): Graham Hall
• Oxford Sailability Cup: Lydia Johnston
• Pam Gee Endeavour Trophy: David Craig

Overall Results: