70th Anniversary Enterprise National Championship 2026 at South Shields Sailing Club - Overall

by Charles Morrish 29 May 06:31 BST 23-26 May 2026

With three races scheduled and only four points between the two leading boats there was still all to play for, resulting in match racing tactics being employed at various points during the racing.

Nick & Toby came out on top by three points in Race 7 while Tim Sadler & Richard Sault got the difference back to four with their win in Race 8. The match racing in Race 9 then caused some confusion among the rest of the fleet!

Race 7 F2 Northerly

Shortly after the start the wind dropped away to a zephyr, some had gone left hoping for a little less tide while others had chosen the right hoping for the forecast gentle veer. In the event progress was determined by those fortunate enough to find patches of pressure rather than calm. Charles Morrish & Dan Swaffield were looking good for a time coming in from the left while Phil Ford & Jane Humpage were the leaders on the right. The 30 minute cut off for the leading boat to reach the windward mark was getting closer. Eventually Phil & Jane made it with 3 minutes to spare! They were followed by Andy & Emma Smith, Charles & Dan and James & Stephen Driver. Phil went on to take the gun with Andy second. Down the run Nick & Toby were closing and managed to pull past the two boats ahead with a smart final mark rounding to take third. Charles and James crossed the line side by side to only one sound signal as James had been black flagged so Charles & Dan took fourth.

Silver Fleet winners: Oli Boocock & Luke Hartshorn; Runners up: Andy Gomm & Daisy Ross

Bronze Fleet winners: Mile Heap & Hester Poon; Runners up: Mike Shipway & Andrew Nel

Race 8 F2 Northerly

The wind had come back up to F2 and settled in pressure so the RO got the fleet away in short order. James & Stephen Driver rounded the windward mark ahead of Tim Sadler & Richard Sault. They held that for the first lap but up the second beat Tim & Richard came through to lead and were never headed. Behind them James & Stephen held on to second while a mad squeeze at the final mark saw Phil Ford & Jane Humpage come in just ahead of Nick & Toby with Martin & Abigail Honor just behind in fifth

Silver Fleet winners: James & Stephen Driver; Runners up: Esther & Brian Bowdler

Bronze Fleet winners: Ian MacIntyre & Fi Foulkes; Runners up: James & Owen Holdaway

Race 9 F2 Northerly

Alice Allen & Karen Alexander came out like a rocket and rounded windward mark first closely followed by Jeremy Stephens & Rebecca Bradley and James & Stephen Driver. Jeremy got into the lead downwind, then went left up the beat with James and Alice taking a middle line. The rest of the fleet, headed by Phil Ford & Jane Humpage went right. Alice & Karen got stuck in the left/middle and just stopped, dropping from 2nd place to 13th; meanwhile Jeremy lead to the finish but he and James had been black flagged (along with Chris & Leo Fry) giving Phil & Jane 1st place overall, Martin & Abigail Honnor 2nd and Andy & Emma Smith 3rd.

Silver Fleet winners: Esther & Brian Bowdler; Runners up: Johnny & Libby Allen

Bronze Fleet winners: Ian Macintyre & Fi Foulkes; Runners up: Mike Heap & Hester Poon

This event has seen a resurgence in the fleet with an original 42 entries the largest number since before covid. Whilst there were a number of ‘returners’ there were also several first timers including a number of young competitors particularly in the front seat. Richard Critchley crewed by Emily Fox was the highest place first timer at any Nationals event, others had competed in Nationals for other classes. However special mention must go to Sophie Forbes and Izzy Beechey sailing an Enterprise at a Nationals for the first time at the age of 15.

First Lady helm was Ann Jackson crewed by Alan Skeens, and thus winner of ‘Iris’ Bowl’. Jane Humpage was first lady (either helm or crew) and received the giant ‘Mary Arnold Baker Trophy’

It was also good to see sailors from other fleets (apart from Nick Craig!), with GP (Andy Smith) and National 12 (Ian MacIntyre) sailors joining in.

In fact Andy & Emma Smith, in Andy’s own words, “hit the sweet spot” for prizes as they picked up the ‘Rolling Pin Trophy’ for first married couple as well as the ‘Steve Nicholson Trophy’ for fourth place overall.

Silver Fleet winners overall were Andy Gomm and Daisy Ross (Ogston SC) with Esther and Brain Bowdler (Looe SC) runners up.

Bronze Fleet winners overall were Ian Macintyre and Fi Foulkes (Loch Tummel SC) while Mike Heap and Hester Poon (Ogston SC) were runners up.

There was great support from sponsors including Selden Masts; Marine Chandlery; Harken; Stewart Brewing; HD Sails; Coast to Coast Riggings; DV Marine; Coast 2 Coast Massage; Noble Marine Insurance and BPI Asset Advisory/BPI Auctions.

Nick Craig, in his closing speech, made particular reference to the wonderful efforts of those many volunteer members of South Shields SC who ran a most successful event - it was greeted with tremendous applause reflecting how much the event had been enjoyed by all who attended.

Overall Results:

Pos	Sail No	Bow No	Selectors	Helm	Crew	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R7	R8	R9	Pts
1	23015	16	G	Nick Craig	Tobytastic	Frensham Burghfield LoS	1	2	1	3	4	3	4	(11)	18
2	23384	35	G	Tim Sadler	Richard Sault	YDSC	3	3	2	2	5	6	1	(17)	22
3	23270	12	G	Phil Ford	Jane Humpage	Looe SC	5	6	7	8	(14)	1	3	1	31
4	23166	40	G	Andy Smith	Emma Smith	Bassenthwaite SC	9	10	5	1	(DNC)	2	16	3	46
5	22859	13	G	Neal Piper	Ellen Piper	Tynemouth SC	10	4	4	6	7	(12)	6	9	46
6	22619	2	G	Martin Honnor	Abigail Honnor	Ogston SC	12	5	8	11	(20)	5	5	2	48
7	23170	27	G	Ann Jackson	Alan Skeens	Burghfield/LOSSC	(11)	9	6	5	9	10	9	4	52
8	22418	25	S	Andy Gomm	Daisy Ross	Ogston SC	13	8	3	10	(17)	11	11	7	63
9	23089	4	G	Charles Morrish	Dan Swaffield	St Marys Loch SC	4	15	14	12	1	4	18	(19)	68
10	22652	5	G	Jeremy Stephens	Rebecca Bradley	Penzance SC	14	12	12	4	13	9	7	(BFD)	71
11	23169	7	S	Esther Bowdler	Brian Bowdler	South Shields / Looe SC	8	(25)	9	17	12	18	8	5	77
12	23274	29	S	Johnny Allen	Libby Allen	Looe SC	2	14	20	14	(DNC)	13	13	6	82
13	22894	36	G	Jeff Dyer	Ella Rich	Penarth YC	15	1	15	7	19	(23)	15	12	84
14	22114	26	S	Loz Young	Jacks Claydon	Derwent Resevoir SC	7	7	24	(29)	10	16	19	10	93
15	22501	30	G	Alica Allen	Karen Alexander	Looe SC	22	23	13	15	3	(31)	12	13	101
16	22525	31	B	Ian Macintyre	Fi Grieve	Loch Tummel SC	19	20	11	13	(25)	17	14	8	102
17	23344	21	S	James Driver	Stephen Driver	NPC	16	13	10	9	15	(BFD)	2	BFD	104
18	19007	28	B	Mike Heap	TBC	Ogston SC	20	22	19	(23)	6	7	22	16	112
19	20900	3	S	Chris Fry	Leonardo Fry	Ogston SC	6	11	18	16	31	26	10	(BFD)	118
20	22629	17	S	Richard Critchley	Emily Fox	WISH SC	25	19	(26)	21	23	22	17	14	141
21	22345	23	B	Nicol Halcrow	Elidh Morton	Loch Earn Sailing Club	17	17	25	26	2	(34)	25	31	143
22	23312	14	B	Peter Rendall	Helen Cummins	Penarth Yacht Club	21	16	(29)	20	21	28	23	20	149
23	22901	6	S	Paul Young	Emma Coleman	Midland SC	(32)	27	23	27	8	19	20	29	153
24	22451	33	S	Mike Goodwin	Lucy Goodwin	Scammonden Water SC	23	(29)	22	19	29	14	28	18	153
25	22118	11	S	Oli Boocock	Luke Hartshorn	Scammonden Water SC	(34)	30	28	25	24	8	24	21	160
26	22512	10	S	Philip Wilson	Rosie Wilson	Ogston SC	26	26	21	18	28	27	(32)	15	161
27	21635	41	B	Mike Shipway	Andrew Nel	Tynemouth SC	24	18	(35)	33	26	15	29	24	169
28	23159	1	B	James Holdaway	Owen Holdaway	Scammonden Water SC	28	(33)	30	24	30	21	21	22	176
29	23094	32	B	Hilgard Muller	Hanelle Muller	Broadwater SC	18	(32)	31	31	22	25	31	23	181
30	22935	22	S	Chris Palmer	Alex Rich	Penarth YC	30	31	17	22	(32)	29	26	32	187
31	22908	15	B	Nigel Orkney	Claire Watson	Largo Bay SC	29	28	(DNS)	28	18	30	27	27	187
32	22268	24	B	Peter Lowrie	Jane Lowrie	Tynemouth SC	33	24	16	30	(34)	33	30	25	191
33	22112	19	B	Mhairi Ogilivie	Duncan Willoughby	Largo Bay SC	31	34	33	(35)	11	32	35	30	206
34	19041	38	B	Sophie Forbes	Isabelle Beechey	Bartley/Wavemakers	27	(36)	34	34	16	36	34	28	209
35	22199	20	B	Peter Middlemiss	Alistair Middlemiss	Tynemouth SC	(38)	21	27	32	33	35	33	33	214
36	20816	8	B	Mike Lewis	Ian Stark	St Marys Loch SC	35	35	32	(36)	36	24	36	26	224
37	22927	39	B	Will Griffiths	Clare Griffiths	Penarth YC	36	(37)	37	37	35	20	37	34	236
38	19546	42	B	Rachel Heesom	Beverley Howe	Tynemouth SC	37	38	36	38	27	(RET)	38	35	249